Paramedics, EMTs, emergency department teams
Trauma
Paramedics and emergency medical technicians respond to medical emergencies before the hospital, perform lifesaving measures, and transport patients to definitive care. Emergency department doctors, nurses, and patient care technicians carry that care forward, including trauma triage in mass casualty events.
What the job asks
- Treat cardiac arrest, strokes, overdoses, and traumatic injuries in the field.
- Make fast decisions with limited information in uncontrolled scenes.
- Hand off patients to emergency departments that run around the clock.
- Coordinate triage when one incident produces many patients.
How you can help
- When you see lights and hear a siren, pull to the right and stop until the vehicle passes.
- Learn hands-only CPR. It takes minutes and can double a person's chance of surviving cardiac arrest.
- Take a Stop the Bleed class to learn how to control severe bleeding until help arrives.
Recognition
EMS Week
Mid-May (2026: May 17 to 23)
See the full recognition calendar
Support line
SAMHSA National Helpline
1-800-662-4357
Free, confidential treatment referral, 24/7.