National EMS Week May 20 – 26, 2012

[Howard Hartman]

	Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service An Internationally Accredited Public Safety Agency NEWS RELEASE     Richard Bowers, Fire Chief     Assistant Chief Scott Graham, Public Information Officer     Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, 12th Floor, Rockville, Maryland, 20850     Phone: 240.777.2474 – Media Hotline – 240.777.2442
May 24, 2012

National EMS Week May 20 – 26, 2012

Rockville - - - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week will be celebrated throughout the nation May 20-26, 2012. Montgomery County fire fighters, all of who are paramedics or emergency medical technicians are called to assist on over 100,000 incidents each year.
The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) is a full spectrum life safety agency protecting nearly 1 million people who live and work in Maryland’s most populous jurisdiction. The theme for this year, “EMS: More than a Job. A Calling,” underscores the commitment and dedication of the nation’s emergency medical service (EMS) providers who serve their communities all across the United States.

"The dedicated men and women who serve as EMS providers in Montgomery County are often first on the scene of local medical emergencies, motor vehicle crashes, disasters of all shapes and sizes or other event that may place them in a hazardous environment,” said Fire Chief Richard Bowers, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. “As this year’s theme implies, our emergency first responders serve on the front lines and are an integral part of emergency health care in our communities while performing an extraordinary service.”

EMS Assistant Chief Diane Zuspan added, "Our EMS team provides an essential service to the communities we serve and we proudly recognize these inspiring and dedicated emergency medical responders who, on a daily basis, go above and beyond the call of duty to save lives, often while putting themselves in harm’s way."

Montgomery County has demonstrated an improved quality of out-of-hospital resuscitation through bystander CPR, AED deployment via public access, pre-arrival advanced care and other continuous quality resuscitation improvements. During EMS Week, Montgomery County Fire Chief Richard Bowers wants to especially acknowledge all the men and women of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, bystanders and medical professionals who have been involved in life-saving efforts in the County.