First ever International Paramedics’ Day celebrated

The event has been created and run by the UK’s College of Paramedics, with the support of over 40 professional paramedics’ associations, higher education institutions and affiliated organizations around the world.

The day was created to recognize and celebrate the dedicated work of paramedics other pre-hospital care workers – including to ‘remember the personal sacrifices and life-saving efforts they have made during the Covid-19 pandemic’, the College said in a statement.

The theme of this year’s event is #ProudtobeaParamedic’, and College is inviting people to make and view posts celebrating the day using two key social media handles:

• International Paramedics’ Day @ParamedicsDay
• College of Paramedics @ParamedicsUK

The College has also released a video showreel celebrating the day, which can be viewed via @ParamedicsDay, or via the International Paramedics’ Day website. It also recommends:

• Sharing uplifting experiences and stories about being a paramedic
• Discussing your training on social media
• Sharing photos of your life as a paramedic, or make a video with your colleagues
• Sharing International Paramedics’ Day official social media cards, available via the website
• Asking your employer to get involved in celebrating the day
• Listening to a podcast by Tracy Nicholls, CEO at the College of Paramedics celebrating the day.

Highlights of social media posts by air ambulance providers in honor of the big day include: a ‘Day in the Life’ videos from Air Ambulances UK (@AirAmbulancesUK), and Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (@LNAACT); Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (@ScotAirAmb) paramedics Claire Allan (left) and Suzi York talking about the challenges of being a paramedic; and an interview with London Air Ambulance Charity’s (@LDNairamb) Lead Flight Paramedic, Lynsey Grant.

‘Kindness, strength, empathy, resourcefulness, humility’

The event has been welcomed by the day’s supporting organizations, who say that it has only become more important to recognize the good work done by paramedics and other pre-hospital care workers following the intense pressures of recent years.

Anna Parry, Deputy Managing Director of AACE said: “AACE is extremely pleased to be one of the key global partners supporting the inaugural International Paramedics Day. Paramedics – alongside other frontline clinical staff and volunteers – play a crucial role in the ambulance workforce, showing endless commitment and dedication to saving lives and caring for patients every day. At a time when the UK ambulance sector is under intense pressure … publicly recognising and acknowledging the vital role paramedics play within the NHS workforce is an important way of saying thank you to them all.”
Leanne Heppell, Chief Ambulance Officer for British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) said: “Canada BCEHS is a proud partner in the first ever International Paramedics Day. This is an especially fitting time to be celebrating paramedics. The challenges of the past two years brought on by a global pandemic, climate-related emergencies, and other events have been daunting, yet day after day we see the kindness, strength, empathy, resourcefulness and humility that paramedics bring to their work, their patients, their colleagues and their communities.”

St John Ambulance Chief Paramedic Martin Berry said, “St John Ambulance is proud to be a part of this important day to acknowledge the amazing work paramedics do, day in, day out under unprecedented demand. Many of our young Cadet volunteers are inspired by the work they see our paramedics do to take up careers in emergency healthcare – and it is fitting the theme is ‘Proud to be a Paramedic’ – until now, they really have been unsung heroes, so this day matters.”

AirMed&Rescue recently interviewed Dr Randall Greenberg, Chief Medical Officer for the South Eastern Section of Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service, as part of its June issue.