Honoring EMS professionals

The 47th annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week will be observed from May 15 — May 21, 2022. Every day, in communities across the country, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) professionals put their lives on the line to meet the needs of others.

Their courage to serve our community, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been a lifeline over the past two years and beyond. EMS answers the call day or night, in all kinds of weather and in all kinds of conditions, many of which can be dangerous and emotionally challenging. It’s easy to forget how difficult this work can be, but our dispatchers, first responders, EMTs and paramedics deliver, without fail, day in and day out.

To say they have difficult jobs would be an understatement.

This week is our chance to acknowledge them for their sacrifices and honor their commitments to always answering the call. Every single one of the 28.5 million calls to 911 per year.

The City of McCook Fire Department emergency medical services consist of a variety of professionals, all dedicated to answering the call and making a difference in their patients’ lives.

Members of emergency medical services teams, whether career or volunteer, public or private, engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance lifesaving skills. They also give back to their communities far more than they take.

This year’s EMS Week theme is “EMS: Rising to the Challenge” and heralds how EMS providers, regardless of service or system, work together daily to help save lives.

As an agency leader, I recognize that without the benefit of our area’s dedicated EMS providers, our emergency healthcare system — and more importantly, our patients — would truly be at a loss.

Please join me in thanking our EMS teams for the exceptional work they do and wishing them a Happy EMS Week!

Here is a list of your local providers and their years of service to McCook:

Richard Atteberry, EMT, 1 year; Michael Beiber, EMT, 7 years: Marc Harpham, Paramedic, 32 years; Dan Hartwell, Paramedic, 20 years; Aaron Kotschwar, Paramedic, 1 year; Don Lannigan, EMT, 7 years; Connor Lepper, Paramedic, 1 year; Colt McDonald, Paramedic, 2 years; Richard Metcalf, Paramedic, 28 years; Joy Molcyk, Paramedic, 20 years; Shalyn Reichert, EMT, 3 years; Steve Renner, Paramedic, 28 years; Derek Sailors, EMT, 1 year; Michael Schoenemann, Paramedic, 15 years; James Slaten, Paramedic, 6 years; Shane Smith, Paramedic, 21 years; Steve Yager, Paramedic, 8 years.