Mobile Fire-Rescue Takes Part in National EMS Week

May 21st, 2013

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) kicked off the 40th annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week starting May 19th with events in communities across the nation, as well as several national events organized around the theme "EMS: One Mission. One Team." EMS providers include paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders, firefighters and police, some paid, some volunteer.

In the spirit of this year's EMS Week theme - One Mission. One Team. - U.S. Fire Administrator Ernest Mitchell emphasizes the number one mission of the EMS team: take every measure to ensure your health and safety, not just for EMS week, but throughout the year.

As part of National EMS Week, Mobile Fire-Rescue invites the public to visit their neighborhood fire station, see the equipment used in medical care and get their blood pressure checked.

Here are a few other ways people can participate in EMS activities at the local level:

Disaster preparedness at home

Check out ACEP's new learning adventure game for children. This project was funded by the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to teach children the basic principles of home disaster preparedness for a variety of scenarios including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. The game is free. Visit www.disasterhero.com for more information.

Compression-only CPR

Studies have shown that early intervention performing CPR without mouth-to-mouth breaths can improve the survival rate of people in cardiac arrest. Contact your local Red Cross or American Heart Association affiliate to learn about CPR classes in your community.

Early stroke recognition

Studies have shown that the early recognition and treatment of stroke improve chances of recovery. Learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of this medical emergency by contacting the American Stroke Association.