Geisinger says thank you to front line workers for EMS Week

PLAINS TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WOLF) — EMTs and paramendics: they've been on the front lines since the beginning of this pandemic and now they're getting a few more thank yous, since it's EMS Week.

Ambulances pulled into Geisinger Wyoming Valley's Emergency Department, greeted by people armed with buckets and brushes, ready for action.

"A week honestly just isn't enough to recognize all they do for us," said Sarah Mazur, a registered nurse with Geisinger's emergency department.

Cleaning the rig is something ambulance crews usually do at the end of their shift.

"They've been working all day or all night, taking care of the patients and then they have to wash their ambulance," said Mazur. "Now we're able to take that off of them and help them out with that."

Since it's not exactly business as usual for EMTs and paramedics.

"Very scary," said Andrew Walko, the paramedic coordinator for Kunkle Fire Department. "We're obviously taking all the precautions that we can but you just never know and it's a tough situation to be in right now."

Typically, Geisinger honors individual EMS workers or companies for their heroism or community service, but with the enormous challenge that this pandemic has turned out to be, they agreed, every single one of them deserves some sort of recognition.

"These folks are on the front lines of the front lines," said Essie Reed, an emergency medicine physician and EMS medical director with Geisinger. "They've all put in such an incredible amount of work."

Gratitude that goes beyond company lines.

"We don't really get the recognition, I feel, that we deserve, compared to police and fire," said Peter Van Wort, a paramedic with Commonwealth Health EMS. "It's definitely a nice perk."

Making it even more special, the fact that other front line workers, including doctors and nurses from the emergency department, physician's assistants, and more, took time out of their days off for this.

"Like everybody else, trying to make sure we get through this safe and healthy," said Reed.

Gift cards to Sheetz were also given out, among other freebies like trauma shears, face shields, and multi-tools.

The washing stations continue Wednesday in Scranton and Thursday in Danville.