Yuma honoring National Emergency Medical Services Week
Manoah Tuiasosopo
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – National Emergency Medical Services week, or EMS Week, is celebrated every third week of May.
We spoke with several EMS professionals who shared more about their experience and what it takes to succeed in the field.
Our region is home to hundreds of EMS professionals, many of them who say they don’t do it for the attention or recognition.
Edgar Castro, a paramedic & fire engineer at the San Luis Fire Department (SLFD), says, “We just do it because we like to help others, especially when they’re having one of their worst days.”
The purpose of the week is to recognize and show appreciation for the emergency medical professionals who tirelessly serve our communities.
These professionals includes EMT’s, paramedics, and dispatch centers.
Division Chief for EMS at the Yuma Fire Department, Dan Espino, says it feels good to be acknowledged.
“There’s people’s stories and commitments that are a part of their career, those stories go untold, probably because we’re not great at celebrating, and we don’t look for that attention. So I think it’s just a great time of the year to remember all the people that serve in your community,” Espino shared.
Fire Captain Eduardo Ramirez at the SLFD says 24/7 emergency services pulls the most out of his men.
“The nights. We’re running calls all day and it’s taxing on the body, trying to stay awake. It’s a challenge to be able to perform, make the right decisions, and treat people the best that we can,” says Ramirez.
The EMS professionals shared what they love most about their careers.
Castro says “Getting to help people, especially taking care of the kids because they don’t really know what’s going on. They see us, they get scared, but we really want to make a difference in their life.”
With 20 years under belt, Ramirez shares a life lesson he’s received from the job.
“You learn gratitude. You learn to be grateful for your day, it’s a great job, it’s the best job in my opinion. If they decided to call 911, that means something bad happened, and we’re there to care for them,” Ramirez explains.
A good way to honor EMS week is a simple “thank you” to a local ambulance or medical professional.
No matter the time or place, you can always count on our EMS professionals to be there for you when it counts.