This week, Kern County Public Health has joined the county’s emergency medical service providing partners in recognizing EMS Week 2023: “Where Emergency Care Begins.” This national campaign honors the men and women who provide emergency medical services to their communities.
“In honor of EMS Week, please join me in thanking and celebrating the brave men and women who fight for the lives of our residents daily as they provide vital, urgent, and life-saving care in some of the most vulnerable moments of our lives,” stated Brynn Carrigan, the Director of Kern County Public Health. “Every day, our paramedics, emergency medical services technicians, and emergency medical dispatchers are providing services that often mean the difference between life and death. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.”
EMS Week takes place May 21 through May 27 and highlights the accomplishments of EMTs, paramedics, and emergency medical dispatchers while building awareness of the vital role they play in their communities.
“Every day our Liberty EMTs, Paramedics, and Critical Care Nurses give all they have physically, emotionally, and mentally to each one of their patients. They sacrifice birthdays, holidays, and precious time with their families. They fought through the pandemic as frontline workers and continue to feel the pressure in its aftermath. I am so grateful to be a part of such a dynamic, resilient, and hard-working team. A ‘thank you’ isn’t enough to express my gratitude for their continued efforts to provide such stellar care to our communities,” commented Erin Cocciolone RN, EMT-P, and Director of Operations at the Liberty Ambulance RRH EMS.
On the first day of EMS Week, Kern County Public Health took an opportunity to recognize the heroic individuals who devote their time and energy to providing EMS services in Kern County communities.
“Your Bakersfield City Firefighters will be there in your time of need, whether it’s a slip and fall, difficulty breathing, or the birth of our newest citizen. We have proudly served the residents of Bakersfield for the last 144 years and will always be there to ensure the health and welfare of our great community,” stated John Frando, the Fire Chief of the Bakersfield Fire Department.
The department also said that everyone can have a role to play in ensuring the emergency response system works efficiently and residents can also serve their communities in need by:
- Use the emergency system responsibly and call 9-1-1 only in a true emergency.
- Learn Hands-Only CPR.
- Download the free PulsePoint app that alerts CPR-trained bystanders when a sudden cardiac arrest occurs in a safe public place within their immediate vicinity. Users will be able to quickly find the victim and begin CPR immediately rather than idly waiting for EMS to arrive. The app also gives detailed instructions and locations of nearby automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). Learn more: http://kernpublichealth.com/pulsepoint/.
“It is with great honor that our California City Firefighter Paramedics are able to serve the public alongside so many exemplary EMS professionals that make up Kern County EMS system. We give thanks to all the 911 call centers, hospitals and staff, law enforcement officers, ambulance providers, and the everyday citizen who aids in helping to save the life of their fellow neighbors,” said California City Fire Department Fire Chief Jeremy Kosick. “Thank you to everyone that continues to make it their mission to improve the health and safety of their community.”
