This is the first in a series of posts and videos which celebrate National EMS Week (May 17-23). The celebration of EMS providers across the country was initiated by President Gerald Ford in 1974, when professional EMS services were still in their infancy stage.

At the time, Hardwick Rescue had not been in service for more than seven years and the amount of skill and clinical knowledge our providers must possess to provide quality emergency care has evolved greatly. This week, we will be posting several short videos to highlight topics we would like you to know more about just in case we have to care for you (and some tips so you may not need us at all!)

This year is especially important for us as we have numerous volunteers, who, for the pure enjoyment of helping others in their community, continue to provide services to our seven towns during the COVID-19 pandemic. With contributions from our small roster of two paid staff, several volunteers are also donating more hours during this time so other providers who fall into higher risk categories can stay safe. We appreciate the contributions our community members have made with cloth masks, respirators, and notes and tokens of appreciation, as well as continuing to practice good infection control measures so our members can go home safe every day!