BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI

North Country This Week

CANTON — May 21-27 has been proclaimed as National EMS Week by St. Lawrence County legislators.

The theme for 2023 is “Where emergency care begins,” according to officials.

The first national EMS week was established in 1974 by President Gerald Ford in recognition of the important role emergency medical service personnel fill in communities.

Officials highlighted the need for the vital public service, saying access to quality emergency care “dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those in need of assistance from injury or illness.”

Legislator Rita Curran spoke to the role emergency medical services personnel play in the North Country, at a time when recruitment and retention has proven to be increasingly more difficult.

“Where emergency care begins is in field when something first happens. You’ll always see me try to find new ways to encourage people to go into EMS care,” Curran said.

Curran also commented that the EMS field is a great career starting point, highlighting the fact many fire fighters and police officers have began their careers as EMS personnel prior to moving onto other careers.

According to the resolution, local EMS teams consist of trained members of the community, first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and dispatchers.

Volunteers throughout the county are known to put in thousands of hours for specialized training and continuing education throughout the course of the year “to enhance lifesaving skills and to serve their communities.”

Locally, EMS courses have been held at Clarkson University, with Massena Permanent Firefighters all taking the course throughout the last year or so.

According to Fire Foreman Aaron Hardy, all 10 firefighters will be EMS trained and certified at the conclusion of the current course.