Dover Fire and Rescue honors its EMS providers as part of National EMS Week

posted on 5/13/2022

Dover Fire and Rescue honors and celebrates its dedicated emergency medical service (EMS) providers who keep Dover’s residents and visitors safe during the 47th annual National EMS Week that begins May 15.

Dover’s EMS personnel consists of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, dispatchers, educators, emergency nurses, and emergency physicians, who provide life-saving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They play critical roles in the “chain of survival” that dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury.

EMS providers have committed to hundreds of hours of training, with continued education annually, to ensure Dover’s residents and guests receive the best possible care. This training allows Dover Fire & Rescue’s emergency responders to respond to and handle any emergency or request for service. These responders continue to assist those in need with the added challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing opioid crisis, and the increased calls for mental health assistance with excellence and professionalism.

“Our EMS providers are core components of Dover’s public safety and committed to fulfilling the city’s medical needs, often going beyond just emergency medicine,” said Dover Fire and Rescue Chief Michael McShane. “A week of celebrating them and their courageous work is a small token of appreciation for their dedication to saving lives in our city.”

McShane also expressed appreciation and thanks to regional partners, such as Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, the freestanding Dover Emergency Room, and EMS mutual aid providers.

“Our success in providing critical care to Dover’s residents and guests is also dependent on the vital role these dedicated partners play in our community,” McShane said.

National EMS Week this year is from May 15 to 21. Held annually since President Gerald Ford authorized it in 1974, it honors the contributions of those who work on the medical front line.