ACR 175: Emergency Medical Services Week.

WHEREAS, It is estimated that there are over 840,000 emergency medical services personnel in the United States, including over 80,000 in the State of California; and

WHEREAS, Emergency medical services are a vital public service and the members of emergency medical services teams are ready to provide life-saving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and

WHEREAS, The emergency medical service system consists of emergency physicians, emergency nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, educators, administrators, and others; and

WHEREAS, The members of emergency medical services teams, whether career or volunteer, engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their life-saving skills; and

WHEREAS, Emergency medical service providers are dedicated to saving lives and possess a sense of duty to aid others that is inherent in the profession and that stays with an emergency medical service provider for life; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 25 to 30 million patients nationwide, and over 2 million patients in California, receive emergency medical services each year; and

WHEREAS, Access to quality emergency medical care dramatically improves the survival and recovery rates of those who experience sudden illness or injury; and

WHEREAS, Emergency medical service providers have made significant sacrifices in the course of duty, including the loss of life in service of others; and

WHEREAS, On March 4, 2020, the Governor of the State of California issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency due to an outbreak of COVID-19 resulting from the spread of the novel coronavirus in the California; and

WHEREAS, Despite the difficult challenges emergency service personnel regularly confront in the course of their duties, emergency responders have not hesitated to take on new roles, such as supporting COVID-19 testing, therapeutics, and vaccination sites; and

WHEREAS, Emergency medical service providers have courageously cared for and saved the lives of community members infected with COVID-19 through selfless sacrifice; and

WHEREAS, The American College of Emergency Physicians was instrumental in establishing National Emergency Medical Services Week to honor the life-saving efforts of emergency medical services personnel; and

WHEREAS, President Gerald Ford proclaimed the first National Emergency Medical Services Week in November of 1974; and

WHEREAS, This year marks the 47th anniversary of National Emergency Medical Services Week; and

WHEREAS, The theme of National Emergency Medical Services Week is EMS: Rising to the Challenge; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate to recognize the value and accomplishments of emergency medical services personnel by designating Emergency Medical Services Week in California; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the week of May 15, 2022, to May 21, 2022, inclusive, to be Emergency Medical Services Week in California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature additionally recognizes and appreciates the incredible work of emergency medical services personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.