EMS Week runs May 16–22, 2027, a seven-day salute to EMTs and paramedics, and to the crews who answer emergency calls around the clock.
The Third Full Week of May
Each May, during the month’s third full week. The 2026 week, the 52nd, ran from Sunday, May 17, to Saturday, May 23.
President Gerald Ford proclaimed the first National EMS Week in 1974. ACEP, the emergency physicians’ college, presents it in partnership with NAEMT, the EMTs’ association. Each year’s theme is announced in April.
Fifty-Plus Years of Recognition
Modern EMS was young in 1974. Its roots go back to a 1966 report, “Accidental Death and Disability,” which described a traffic-injury epidemic and little organized care before the hospital.
Congress responded that year with the Highway Safety Act. A national EMT curriculum followed, and the 1973 EMS Systems Act funded more than 300 EMS systems.
Ford’s proclamation a year later helped give the young field a national identity.
NAEMT formed in 1975. It now counts more than 110,000 members.
The 50th week, in 2024, looked back. A panel at a Smithsonian museum in Washington included John Moon of Freedom House.
That Pittsburgh ambulance service, founded in 1967, was staffed by Black paramedics and helped shape modern prehospital care.
Public events reach the capital too. In 2024, crews brought ambulances to the National Mall and taught CPR and bleeding control. Speakers came from federal agencies, including NHTSA’s EMS office and the U.S. Fire Administration.
A Theme for Every Day
Every day has a focus. Sunday is Health, Wellness and Resilience Day, and Monday is EMS Education Day.
Tuesday covers safety, and Wednesday is EMS for Children Day, which focuses on the youngest patients and the crews trained to treat them.
Thursday is Save-A-Life Day, which pairs blood drives with CPR and bleeding-control training. Friday is Recognition Day.
Saturday closes the week as EMS Remembrance Day, honoring crews who died on duty.
For 2026, the theme was “Improving Outcomes, Together.” ACEP President Anthony Cirillo called EMS crews “essential partners on the frontlines.”
NAEMT’s president, Christopher Way, praised their “expertise, commitment to care” and passion for service.
Workloads are enormous. The national EMS database logged 60,298,684 activations in 2024, reported by 14,756 agencies in 54 states and territories.
Doctors see the other end of those calls. ACEP’s roughly 40,000 members treat more than 150 million people a year.
How to Thank EMS Crews
Learning a skill is the best tribute. Thursday’s Save-A-Life Day is built for exactly that.
ACEP and NAEMT post agency resources and first responder stories at emsweek.org each year, and Stop the Bleed grants range from $1,000 to $100,000.
- Take a CPR class or a Stop the Bleed course during the week.
- Donate blood at a Save-A-Life Day drive in your community on Thursday.
- Drop off a thank-you card at your local ambulance station or fire hall.
- Teach your kids how to call for help on EMS for Children Day.
- Check that your house number is clearly visible from the street, so crews can find you fast at night.
- Honor fallen responders on Remembrance Day, the week’s final Saturday.
- Find events and first responder stories at emsweek.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EMS Week an official observance?
Yes. It began with a presidential proclamation and continues with national medical groups.
What is Save-A-Life Day?
Thursday’s focus on donating blood and learning skills that keep people alive until help arrives.
Who presents EMS Week?
Two national groups, one for emergency doctors and one for EMTs.
Where does Stop the Bleed operate?
Its ambassador program spans more than 75 countries, and its scholarships have topped $175,000.