By Leila Merrill
LEWISVILLE, Texas — Global Medical Response hosted the opening ceremony for the National EMS Memorial Service and Weekend of Honor Moving Honors procession Monday in Lewisville, Texas.
The procession, which includes an ambulance and a GMR response vehicle, will travel across 12 states carrying a custom-built Tree of Life bearing the names of 72 EMS and air medical professionals from agencies and programs throughout the nation who died in the line of duty.
The procession starts a countdown to the NEMSMS and Weekend of Honor. The Tree of Life is a representation of an oak tree, which symbolizes strength. Each honoree’s name, agency and date of loss is engraved on a bronze leaf on the tree.
“Today we had the opportunity to come together once again to host the opening ceremony for a procession that is so deeply personal to all of us at Global Medical Response,” said Randy Owen, CEO of Global Medical Response, according to a news release. “The Moving Honors Procession gives EMS and community members from around the nation the chance to pay their respects and remember the sacrifices of these 72 brave souls. We wish our teams well on a journey that will help pay tribute to so many.”
The procession will make multiple stops, including Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York so that families, first responders and community members can pay their respects.
The Moving Honors procession will be met in Arlington, Virginia, on July 21 by the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride’s Ride of Honor. In Arlington, families and loved ones of the honorees, as well as first responders from around the country will gather for a weekend of events to honor air and ground EMS providers.