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3 <br /> 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations <br /> a. Emergency Medical Services Week Proclamation <br /> The Board considered approving a proclamation designating the week of May 21-27, <br /> 2017, as Emergency Medical Services Week in Orange County, and authorized the Chair to <br /> sign. <br /> Kim Woodward, EMS Operations Manager, reviewed the background information: <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> The American College of Emergency Physician (ACEP) has announced that the 43rd annual <br /> Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week will be celebrated throughout the nation May 21-27, <br /> 2017, in recognition of the dedicated professionals who provide emergency services to <br /> residents and visitors. EMS is now firmly established as an essential public function and a vital <br /> component of the medical care continuum. On any given day, EMS practitioners help save <br /> lives by responding to medical emergencies, including heart attack, difficulty breathing, a fall or <br /> accident, drowning, cardiac arrest, stroke, drug overdose or acute illness. EMS may provide <br /> both basic and advanced medical care at the scene of an emergency and in route to a <br /> hospital. EMS practitioners care for their patients' medical needs and show caring and <br /> compassion to their patients in their most difficult moments. <br /> With the development of mobile integrated healthcare and community paramedicine (MIH-CP), <br /> EMS is also increasingly a valued participant in achieving the nation's overall healthcare goals <br /> of improved patient health and lowered costs. Emergency Medical Services Week brings <br /> together local communities and medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication <br /> of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's "front line". The <br /> Emergency Medical Services System in Orange County includes Telecommunicators, Fire <br /> Departments, Law Enforcement Officers, Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, South <br /> Orange Rescue Squad, First Choice, North State Ambulance Service, Emergency Nurses, <br /> Emergency Physicians, County Staff, Carolina AirCare, and the University of North Carolina <br /> Department of Emergency Medicine. <br /> The Orange County Emergency Medical Services System responded to more than 14,159 <br /> reported emergencies last year, providing medical assessment, treatment, and ambulance <br /> transportation when medically necessary. Emergency Services staffs eight (8) paramedic <br /> certified EMS Supervisors, four (4) paramedic certified Field Training Officers, forty (40) <br /> paramedics and twenty-one (21) emergency medical technicians who are exceptionally <br /> dedicated and skilled. Emergency Medical Responders throughout Orange County provide a <br /> valuable service to the residents and visitors and help make Orange County a safer place to <br /> live. <br /> With the theme EMS Strong: Always in Service, everyone is reminded that the Orange <br /> County emergency medical services system is dedicated to providing exceptional care around <br /> the clock. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs read the resolution: <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK PROCLAMATION <br /> MAY 21-27, 2017 <br />