Letter to the Editor

Editor:
This EMS Week (May 18-24), I urge our community to look beyond the sirens and flashing lights—to see the real people behind the uniforms. Our Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals are the first on the scene when life hangs in the balance: car crashes, heart attacks, overdoses, and disasters. They carry not just equipment, but hope.

These heroes perform under crushing pressure, racing against time to save lives and ease suffering. Yet while we celebrate their courage, we must also confront an uncomfortable truth: the very system they serve is pushing them to the brink.

Our EMS teams face a perfect storm of underfunding, relentless workloads, low pay, and emotional exhaustion. They witness trauma day after day, often without adequate mental health support. Many are burning out, and some are leaving the profession altogether, leaving communities like ours more vulnerable.

As a regional EMS chief and paramedic with over 25 on the front lines, I see the devotion of these professionals every day. But devotion alone cannot sustain a broken system.

This week, let’s do more than say “thank you.” Let’s demand real change. We must advocate for proper funding, better working conditions, and robust mental health resources for not only our EMS but all first responders. We owe it to them—and to ourselves.

When we stand up for those who stand up for us, we strengthen the entire community. Let’s ensure our first responder heroes have the support they need, not just this week, but every day they answer the call.

Tony Bixby
Chief, Susquehanna Regional EMS
Director, Prehospital Services, UPMC in North Central Pa.