Pennsylvania Health Officials Participate in Annual EMS Memorial Bike Ride in Honor of National EMS Week

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Michael Wolf and other department officials participated in the final day of the East Coast leg of the National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Memorial Bike Ride in honor of National EMS Week, May 19-25. 

The seven-day bike ride honors EMS personnel who serve every day, those who have become sick or injured while performing their duties and those who have died in the line of duty. Wolf was joined by the department's Deputy Secretary for Health Planning and Assessment, Marty Raniowski, and the Director for the Bureau of EMS, Joe Schmider. 

"It is an honor to help celebrate the lives of EMS personnel who make the ultimate sacrifice day in and day out," Wolf said. "It is especially gratifying that we are able to do this by participating in a physical activity and promoting healthy behaviors."   

The Department of Health is the lead agency for EMS services in the state. Pennsylvania's EMS delivery system has approximately 60,000 EMS personnel and more than 1,000 licensed ground and air ambulance services that respond to more than one million patients annually.

National EMS Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services nationwide. This year's theme is "EMS: One Mission. One Team."

"It was an honor to ride with this team today and incredibly gratifying to see the community support throughout the ride for these much-deserving individuals," Wolf said. "As we enter the Memorial Day weekend, let's be sure to remember all of our heroes as we celebrate the holiday with our friends and families. I know many of the individuals here today will be on the job ensuring that we are all safe."

The memorial bike ride began in Rockland, Maryland, on May 18 and ended in Collingdale, Delaware County, on May 24.

Media contact: Aimee Tysarczyk or Holli Senior, 717-787-1783

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Health

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