FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
In recognition of the role emergency medical service professionals play in public safety, the Defense Logistics Agency joins communities across the nation in observing National EMS Week May 18-24.
President Gerald Ford authorized National EMS Week Nov. 4,1974, to recognize EMS professionals’ efforts and dedication to saving lives, preserving public health, and providing safety and support to their communities.
Around the clock, DLA Fire and Emergency Services stand prepared to deliver emergency medical services, safeguarding four DLA sites and supporting neighboring communities through mutual aid agreements, DLA Fire and Emergency Services Program Manager Matthew Ameden said.
“Responding to over 600 EMS calls in the past year, their commitment has been proven in crises ranging from cardiac events to vehicle accidents and numerous injuries,” Ameden said. “These heroic actions have been recognized with life-saving awards, merit medals and accolades from both the installation leadership and local governments.”
Ameden called for employees to acknowledge the unwavering dedication of DLA Fire and Emergency Services personnel who ensure workforce safety and well-being while supporting the warfighter mission.
“You’ll see people on their darkest days and it’s often hard to separate work from home life. You also won’t have to bring home the baggage of work,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for growth and provide to a bigger community than the one you live in.”
DLA Land and Maritime Firefighter and Paramedic Donald Bruschi
For DLA Land and Maritime Firefighter and Paramedic Donald Bruschi, National EMS Week is a time to honor and recognize the dedication, sacrifice and the critical role EMS professionals play in saving lives and serving communities.
“For many in the field, including myself, it is a deeply personal acknowledgement of long hours, intense calls, emotional resilience and unshakable commitment to public service,” he said. “To me, EMS week is about recognition, reflection, unity, education and renewal.”
Bruschi began fighting fires and saving lives in 2009 after joining the Explorer program at the Westbury Fire Department in Westbury, New York. He later went on to attend fire, emergency medical technician and paramedic training as a civilian before enlisting in the Navy as a hospital corpsman from October 2017 to August 2023. During his time in the Navy, he first learned about federal firefighting and later joined DLA in October 2024 at the end of his military contract.
“The most rewarding aspect of being a part of DLA Fire is the fact that I get to continue my service to the military community. As a hospital corpsman, your Marines and sailors come first. This is a way to continue that tradition,” he said.
During his time with DLA, Bruschi said he had ample time to build his education, psychomotor skills, critical thinking and functions within a team as he responded to calls both from the installation and the surrounding localities.
“This has been a very rewarding career. I have completed my Master of Public Administration with a focus in emergency management,” Bruschi said. “I have also completed several certifications and started my Doctor of Business Administration with a focus on emergency management.”
At Defense Supply Center Columbus, Ohio, Bruschi said he works to provide a safe area to store, house and move the logistics required to keep the armed forces of America rolling. His team takes part in routine safety inspections, building walkthroughs and fire extinguisher training in addition to responding to installation emergencies, he added.
Bruschi said the biggest piece of advice he gives to those seeking a career in emergency services is to never work in the community you live in.
“You’ll see people on their darkest days and it’s often hard to separate work from home life. You also won’t have to bring home the baggage of work,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for growth and provide to a bigger community than the one you live in.”
Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, Firefighter and Paramedic Robert Dyer has been with the agency for over nine years after finishing his enlistment in the Marine Corps.
“I started volunteering at my local fire department and EMS station,” he said. “I loved being able to serve the community I was in and decided to make it my career path.”
Dyer said National EMS week brings recognition to the men and women who spend countless hours taking care of patients in the pre-hospital environment.
“EMS providers are often the first to arrive with patients who are having the worst day of their lives,” he said. “We provide professional basic and advanced medical care for patients in environments that sometimes are not that pleasant, but we get the job done because the patient needs help.”
Supporting the DLA mission by providing multiple resources to the installation in the event of an emergency is one aspect of the job Dyer said he enjoyed, but providing protection to the assets that are being sent to warfighters throughout the world is his largest contribution to the mission.
““Without the advanced life support procedures that we offered, the patients would not have survived,” Dyer said. “The most rewarding aspect of my job is seeing the positive outcomes for the people that we help.”