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Date Published: April 28, 2025
National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, observed annually in May (May 18–24, 2025), is a week-long celebration to recognize and thank the emergency medical services personnel who serve our communities around the clock.
President Gerald Ford first authorized National EMS Week in 1974 to celebrate and recognize the vital work of EMS professionals in communities across the nation. At the time, EMS was a relatively new profession, and this proclamation highlighted the important role EMS played in emergency medicine. In fact, that sentiment is reflected in this year’s EMS Week theme: “We Care. For Everyone.”
Whether arriving at the scene of a medical emergency or helping displaced families during a natural disaster, EMS professionals bring clinical expertise, compassion, courage and resilience when minutes matter most.
Emergencies — like an accident that causes serious injuries — highlight why EMS Week (sometimes referred to as EMS Appreciation Week) matters. Emergency responders often work in fast-paced, high-stress environments where every second counts. Their training allows them to act quickly and effectively — while their empathy helps people through some of the hardest days of their lives.
Their ability to assess injuries, manage chronic conditions and navigate high-stress environments makes them invaluable during emergencies. Many EMS professionals extend their lifesaving work beyond ambulances and hospitals by volunteering with the American Red Cross. These dual-trained responders bring clinical expertise and calm reassurance to disaster shelters, evacuation centers and recovery sites — where traditional EMS services may not always reach.
Their work exemplifies the spirit of EMS Week — meeting people in moments of crisis and helping them begin the road to recovery. Whether in ambulances, shelters, neighborhoods or disaster zones, they are driven by the same mission: to help others in their time of greatest need.
One meaningful way to make a difference is to be prepared to respond in an emergency, before EMS gets to the scene. Learning basic life-saving skills will give you the confidence to act until medical help arrives.
By equipping yourself with these essential skills — from cardiac arrest to trauma injuries, you become part of a stronger, more resilient community — ready to step in when every second counts.
Red Cross courses to consider include:
The Red Cross also offers specialized courses to increase your emergency preparedness:
Thursday, May 22, 2025, marks Stop the Bleed Day, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about handling life-threatening bleeding. Severe bleeding is one of the most preventable causes of death following trauma. Learning to control it in the critical minutes before EMS arrives can make all the difference.
EMS Week is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action. We honor the professionals who serve on the frontlines by recognizing their contributions and doing our part to build safer, more prepared communities.
By taking a Red Cross course, you’re equipping yourself with the tools to respond, assist and potentially save a life — just like the EMS heroes we celebrate this week and every week.
Training Services is a division of the American Red Cross. Our mission is to advance lifesaving education so you are better to prepared. Our robust training curriculum includes CPR and AED, First Aid, Basic Life Support (BLS), Babysitting and Child Care, Lifeguarding, Water Safety and more.
