U.S. EMS Week History: Ford’s 1974 Authorization Was Just the Start

Oct 15, 2026

EMS Week began in 1974, when President Gerald Ford authorized a national observance honoring EMS professionals and their lifesaving work. Today the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) presents it in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). It remains an opportunity to thank the people who answer the call.

TL;DR:

The 1973 EMS Systems Act authorized federal funding to plan, develop, and expand regional systems, placing the observance amid a broader national buildout.

Congress designated September 18–24 as EMS Week in 1988; later records document the shift from September observances to the current May schedule.

In 2026, EMS Week runs May 17–23 under the theme Improving Outcomes, Together, and EMS for Children Day falls on May 20.

ACEP’s campaign recognizes physicians, EMTs, paramedics, educators, and dispatchers, while local events can pair crew appreciation with CPR or Stop the Bleed training.

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Why EMS Week was created in 1974

The observance grew out of a simple need: people who ran toward emergencies deserved recognition, and the public needed to understand what they did. The official EMS Week history names 1974 as the starting point and describes a week meant to celebrate EMS professionals and the work they do in their communities.

The timing was no accident. EMS was being built in those years. A 1966 national safety framework and the 1973 EMS Systems Act helped create organized regional systems, a trend traced in this EMS history. The Act itself, S.504 in the 93rd Congress, authorized federal funding to plan, develop and expand regional EMS systems. A presidential authorization landed in the middle of that buildout.

Timeline of EMS milestones from 1966 to 1974

Public education was central from the start, not an afterthought. A week that tells neighbors how to call for help, what a paramedic does and why bystander skills matter does real work for a community. Recognition was never meant to be ceremony alone.

Who presents EMS Week and how federal action shaped it

ACEP and NAEMT jointly lead the annual campaign. ACEP frames the week as recognition of everyone who contributes to community health and safety, including physicians, EMTs, paramedics, educators and dispatchers, not only ambulance crews, according to About EMS Week.

Federal action has also shaped the observance. Congress later designated specific weeks by joint resolution. A 1988 law set September 18–24 as Emergency Medical Services Week, and those records document the shift from earlier September observances toward the May schedule we know now.

Association leadership and federal recognition work together. The associations pick a yearly theme and publish planning resources for agencies, while official proclamations give local departments a reason to hold events and invite their mayors and councils.

Key milestones in EMS Week history

Here is how the pieces fit together, in order:

1973: The EMS Systems Act authorizes federal funding to plan, develop and expand regional EMS systems.
1974: President Ford authorizes a national EMS observance, the official start of EMS Week.
1988: Congress designates September 18–24 as Emergency Medical Services Week by joint resolution.
Later: EMS for Children Day becomes part of the observance. The sources reviewed here do not establish when it joined the week.
2024: The 50th anniversary arrives under the theme “Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future”, with ACEP and NAEMT marking the milestone.
2026: The EMS Compact adopts resolutions recognizing May 17–23, 2026 as EMS Week and May 20 as EMS for Children Day.

How EMS Week is observed today

EMS Week now falls in May, and in 2026 it runs May 17–23. Ems the 52nd annual celebration under the theme “Improving Outcomes, Together.” Each day carries its own focus:

Health, Wellness and Resilience: peer support, fitness and mental health resources for crews.
Education: training sessions, ride-alongs and open houses that show the public what EMS training involves.
Safety: attention to responder and patient safety on the road and at the scene.
EMS for Children: pediatric preparedness, with May 20 recognized for it in 2026.
Save-A-Life: CPR classes and Stop the Bleed training, an approach also seen in the 2024 schedule.
Recognition: award ceremonies, thank-you events and community appreciation.
Remembrance: moments set aside for EMS personnel lost in the line of duty.

Blood drives, station tours and training days fill in around these themes. Agencies that want to plan an event can find logos, checklists and downloadable materials on the EMS Week and ACEP pages. If your crew wants to meet colleagues beyond your own county, one guide to medical conferences for 2026 is a useful place to start.

Why EMS Week still matters

The 1988 resolution put public education in the law’s own purpose, and that thread still runs through the week. When a neighbor learns compressions or how to pack a wound, the whole community gets safer, and EMS Week gives agencies a reason to teach it.

Neighbors practicing CPR on a training manikin

Recognition and remembrance matter just as much. People who work long shifts and carry hard calls home need to know their communities see them. That kind of acknowledgment supports morale, and it makes the job easier to see as a career worth choosing.

Anniversary campaigns have widened the focus. NAEMT leadership described the 2024 theme as honoring history while continuing to evolve and securing support for EMS. The week is no longer only a thank-you. It is also a push for professional development and advocacy.

Our perspective on honoring EMS heritage

We were founded by a firefighter and a product designer, and heritage over hype is how we make everything. We think EMS Week deserves the same standard. A thank-you that fades after one shift is not much of a thank-you. Durable gear, made to last and worn with pride, says something a card cannot. If you are planning how to mark the week, whether for your crew or for someone you know, start with something they will actually use. Our posts on EMS gift ideas and the Star of Life are a good place to begin.

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Honor your EMS crew with gear built to last

For EMS Week gifts and crew recognition, we make heritage-minded apparel and gear: firefighter apparel, T-shirts, hoodies, hats and stickers, all made to hold up shift after shift. Browse the collections and pick something your crew will wear long after the week ends.

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FAQ

Who is considered the father of EMS?

There is no single official “father of EMS” in the sources we reviewed. EMS grew through many contributors and through federal steps like the 1966 national safety framework and the 1973 EMS Systems Act.

Is there a national EMS Week?

Yes. National EMS Week is presented each year by ACEP in partnership with NAEMT, and it traces back to President Ford’s 1974 authorization. It is observed in May.

What is the theme of EMS Week 2026?

The 2026 theme is “Improving Outcomes, Together”, for the 52nd annual celebration. It runs May 17–23, 2026.

What happened in the EMS in 1966?

The U.S. established a national safety framework that helped lay the groundwork for organized regional EMS systems. The 1973 EMS Systems Act followed and built on it.