05/20/2026
As nationally recognized EMS Week 2026 soon concludes, the accolades, recognitions, and reflections honoring our communities’ Emergency Medical Services practitioners will gradually quiet.
While May 17–23, 2026, is respectfully observed and deeply appreciated, our EMS systems remain steadfast — continuing to answer the call during what is often one of the most difficult moments an individual or family may face when dialing 911 during a crisis.
Family gatherings, celebrations, and daily routines can change instantly when a frantic call to 911 is placed. In those moments, celebrations are interrupted by urgent questions: Is the patient alert? Are they responding? Are they breathing? Simultaneously, our 911 communications professionals work quickly and efficiently to gather critical information and dispatch the closest and most appropriate emergency resources.
EMS practitioners across our six-county region stand ready every day, every night, every weekend, and every holiday to answer those calls for help. In the past year alone, EMS services throughout this remarkable region were requested nearly 240,000 times — responding to the needs of our communities by delivering highly trained healthcare professionals who provide treatment using established protocols and state-of-the-art technology.
Gone are the days of the “ambulance driver.” Today’s EMS systems continually invest in training, education, and advanced pre-hospital care capabilities that communities rightfully expect from licensed EMS units.
Our mission remains clear: improving patient outcomes through evidence-based advancements and system enhancements that positively impact critically injured and ill patients. Investments in technology — often unnoticed until urgently needed — help ensure a coordinated, systems-based approach capable of reaching patients in their homes, workplaces, and along our highways.
EMS has experienced tremendous growth and opportunity through increasingly sophisticated protocols, rising call volumes, and, most importantly, significant advancements in clinical capabilities. Systems continue to evolve by integrating technologies such as video laryngoscopes for advanced airway management, IV infusion pumps for precise medication administration, and, more recently, the ability for EMS units to carry and administer whole blood products in the pre-hospital setting for critically ill and injured patients.
Our EMS system and its nearly 4,100 practitioners throughout this great region celebrate successes each week, each day, and with every patient encounter. Their commitment to delivering the highest quality pre-hospital care — with a continued emphasis on innovation and improving patient outcomes — is perfectly reflected in this year’s EMS Week theme: “Improving Outcomes, Together.”
Enjoy EMS Week — and celebrate EMS every week. Your dedication and unwavering commitment to public service remain deeply respected, greatly valued, and sincerely appreciated. THANK YOU
John G. Kloss
Director
Eastern PA EMS Council
