Washington, D.C. (April 6, 2019) – The National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), the National EMS Memorial Foundation and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR) will pay tribute to twenty-six EMS fallen from across the United States during the 2019 National EMS Weekend of Honor, scheduled May 17-19 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center located at 201 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, MD 20745. The list of honorees from thirteen states can be found on the NEMSMS website via the following link:
2019 NEMSMS Honorees
There will be several activities during the three days including two events that the public and media are invited and encouraged to attend as a show of support for the selfless service and sacrifice of the twenty-six 2019 honorees. On Friday afternoon, May 17, 2019 the arrival and tribute ceremony of the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride will occur. The riders will be arriving at the National Harbor Plaza. Then on Saturday evening, May 18, 2019 the National EMS Memorial Service, a formal ceremony to honor fallen EMS and air medical professionals will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.
The NEMSMS’ annual Line-of-Duty Death Seminar will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and is open to all who serve in EMS, Air Medical, Fire Service, or Law Enforcement and is offered at no cost to participants. Chaplains and other support personnel are also invited to participate. Registration is required and can be completed by clicking the following button:
LODD Seminar Registration
The National EMS Weekend of Honor coincides with the beginning of National EMS Week, which will be May 19-25. Jana Williams, president of the National EMS Memorial Service shared her thoughts on the Service, “We are honored to commemorate the 26 first responders who have made the Ultimate Sacrifice in the service to others. As we prepare for this year’s Weekend of Honor, we will not only pay the respects of this great nation for their brave and selfless service but also show our support to their loved ones who have been left behind.”
On November 3, 2018, the President of the United States signed Public Law 115-275 to enable the National EMS Memorial Foundation to build a permanent EMS memorial in the Nation’s Capital. Ms. Williams commended the bi-partisan support and credits their colleagues at the Foundation saying, “This was accomplished after years of hard work and commitment by the Foundation that resulted in the passage of H. R. 1037 and S. 1692 by unanimous consent.
We applaud our partners at the National EMS Memorial Foundation on this extraordinary accomplishment and continue to support them as they work tirelessly to bring this project closer to reality.”
The Weekend of Honor is organized and hosted by the following volunteer-staffed organizations: National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, National EMS Memorial, and the National EMS Memorial Foundation. See http://www.national-ems-memorial.org/ for more information on the specific event times and locations as they become available.