A group of senators have re-introduced a bill to allow the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal land to pay tribute to the commitment and service represented by emergency medical services (EMS).
Under the National Emergency Medical Services Commemorative Work Act, a memorial would be constructed in the greater District of Columbia area.
Each year, 850,000 EMS first responders across the nation answer more than 30,000,000 calls to serve 22,000,000 patients in need of immediate life-saving care and comfort, according to a release. Many of these patients are alive today because of the selfless commitment of our first responders.
The release said with little regard for their own safety and in the face of all hazards, the men and women of EMS respond to every kind of incident imaginable: from a single person’s medical emergency to naturally occurring or man-made disasters, including terrorist attacks that threaten the entire nation.
U.S. Senators joining the reintroduction of the bill were Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
“First responders put so much on the line to serve their communities,” Capito said. “From devastating disasters like last year’s floods in West Virginia to daily acts that make a world of difference for a single person, these brave men and women work tirelessly and selflessly to improve and save lives.
“While we may not be able to repay first responders for all that they do, we can certainly honor their service and sacrifice through a national memorial.”
Katie Orsino, executive director of the National EMS Memorial Foundation, said Americans rely every day on the enduring ideals of commitment, service, and sacrifice embraced by the nation’s emergency medical service providers.
“These same providers should be able to rely on us as a nation to remember this ongoing commitment and service to our country, and more importantly, the ultimate sacrifice already made by more than 650 members of the nation’s EMS personnel,” Orsino said. “It is time to remember. We are very fortunate to have the leadership of these Senators associated with this project; the entire EMS community appreciates the introduction of this bill in the U.S. Senate.”
This bill is a companion bill to H.R. 1037, a Bill to Establish a National EMS Memorial, introduced by Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.) on February 14, 2017 with bipartisan support.