By: Tony Bixby, MBA, NRP, CCEMT-P, FP-C
Chief, Susquehanna Regional EMS
Director, Prehospital Services, UPMC in North Central Pa.
Director, East Central Region, and Board Member, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)

Each year, National EMS Week (May 17–23) gives us the opportunity to pause and say something that can never be said enough: thank you.

Across our region, emergency medical services have long been rooted in the community. For generations, neighbors have answered the call for neighbors—volunteers leaving family dinners, paid clinicians coming off long shifts, dispatchers guiding care from behind the scenes, and support staff keeping ambulances rolling. This is the proud tradition of community‑based EMS, and it remains alive today.

When someone dials 911, they’re not thinking about titles, staffing models, or uniforms. They’re thinking about one thing: help. And every day, across our rural towns and boroughs, EMS teams make sure that help is on the way.

The landscape of EMS has changed over time. Volunteer numbers have declined, funding support is inconsistent, federal and state reimbursement for services is poor, training and clinical expectations have increased, and the calls themselves have grown more complex and broader in scope. These shifts reflect the realities of modern life, not a lack of caring or commitment. Even as fewer people are volunteering as they once did, the heart of service that built EMS in this region continues to shine through.

What stands out most is how EMS has adapted. Volunteers, paid professionals, and health care partners work side by side, sharing responsibility and supporting one another, so coverage is available day and night. Mutual aid agreements, cross‑training, and regional cooperation help ensure communities remain protected, especially in rural areas where distances are longer, and resources are often stretched.

EMS Week reminds us that emergency care doesn’t happen in isolation. It is sustained by an entire network of people: EMTs and paramedics, volunteer responders, dispatchers, educators, mechanics, administrators, hospital teams, community leaders, and families who support those who answer the call. Together, they form a safety net that communities depend on every day.

Join me in celebrating the individuals who carry forward the legacy of EMS in our region. We honor the history that shaped it, the dedication that sustains it, and the teamwork that ensures its future.

To everyone who plays a role in emergency medical services: thank you for showing up, for stepping up, and for making sure that when our neighbors need help most, they are never alone.

When the call goes out, help is on the way because of you.