S-N Editorial

May 19-25 marks National EMS Week, where Americans salute our quiet guardians who are there for us in our time of need. Here in rural Iowa, their presence is an immeasurable blessing.

This year marks National EMS Week’s 50th anniversary. It’s a time to show our gratitude toward EMTs and paramedics who provide lifesaving care across the nation every day. EMS Week is also a time to educate the public about EMS and the essential service it provides our communities.

Paramedics, EMTs and other EMS professionals work diligently to care for their patients and serve their communities in times of crisis. They are continually evolving with the times to ensure that EMS has the support needed to continue answering the public’s call for help when it’s most needed. Most folks don’t realize the vital role these people play until their minute of need.

In rural Iowa, most departments are comprised of volunteers. This has led to a silent crisis of sorts, as fewer and fewer people are willing to commit the time necessary to filling a spot on an ambulance roster. County-level consolidation has resulted in some areas, which has its own pitfalls due to the distance covered by each ambulance team. When time is of the essence, a 20-mile drive can be a matter of life and death.

We are lucky here in Hartley to have a dedicated group of volunteers who have made our ambulance team one of the best in the region. What they do is incredible, and the numbers back that up. Last year alone the team responded to 289 calls; the year prior, the total was more than 300. Truly, these people are dedicated to the community and the people who reside here.

Our local ambulance teams do much more than answer their pagers at 3 a.m. They’re at our local football games every Friday night, complete hours of annual training and transport patients from one medical facility to another, among other duties. While their title may have “volunteer” in front of it, their commitment goes above and beyond.

If you see a current or former EMS worker this week, thank them for their service and think about their vital role in our community. Though you can hope you’ll never have to call them, you can be thankful they’ll be there when you need them most.