FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — One of the most iconic visual elements of the National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS), the “Tree of Life” to honor fallen EMS heroes, will be on display in five U.S. cities as it is escorted by members of the Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue (CVFR) Honor Guard to Virginia.
The “Tree of Life” will leave Colorado Springs on July 12 under the escort of Kurt Murray, CVFR Honor Guard Commander, his son Brandon Murray, and Gerald Calaway and Ryan Passera. Once the “Tree of Life” reaches Virginia. it will be stored at LifeCare Medical Transports while awaiting the June 2016 memorial service.
“Everyone at Chancellor Volunteer Fire & Rescue and LifeCare Medical Transports considers it such an honor to be entrusted as guardians of the Tree of Life,” said Chief Kevin Dillard, a founder and past president of the National EMS Memorial Service.
As the exhibit makes its way across the country, the leaves with the 2015 honorees will be on display so that EMS providers and the public can pay homage to the brave men and women of our nation’s Emergency Medical Services who gave their lives in the line of duty while serving others.
View the exhibit at one of these locations:
Monday, July 13, 9-11 AM (Central)
St. Louis University Hospital
3635 Vista Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110
Monday, July 13, 4-6 PM (Eastern)
Jefferson Memorial Park
Sixth & Jefferson Streets
Louisville, KY 40202
Tuesday, July 14, 9-11 AM (Eastern)
Healthnet Aeromedical Services Training Center
110 Wyoming St., Charleston, WV 25302
Tuesday, July 14, 4-6 PM (Eastern)
Roanoke Fire-EMS Station 1
704 Franklin Rd., Roanoke, VA 24016
Wednesday, July 15, 10 AM-Noon (Eastern)
LifeCare Medical Transports 1170 International Parkway
Fredericksburg, VA 22406
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| Each year, the National EMS Memorial Service features the iconic Tree of Life to honor fallen EMS heroes with the names of the fallen etched on bronze leaves of the tree. |
There is no charge to see the “Tree of Life.” Donations to raise funds for a permanent EMS memorial will be accepted at each of the events or can be made online at any time. Photos and updates about the journey and events will be posted on the NEMSMS Facebook page and on the NEMSMS website.
For the past 23 years, the names of the fallen EMS providers are etched on bronze leaves of a representation of an oak tree, which signifies strength. The tree is prominently displayed on the stage at the memorial service. Relatives and friends of the honorees often make rubbings of their loved one’s name to honor their sacrifice and to remember their commitment of service to others.
“The Tree of Life is a treasured symbol of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow man, and it deserves our utmost respect,” Dillard said. “We are so proud to bring it home to Virginia.”
The National EMS Memorial Service will move its annual commemorative event to Virginia effective with the service in 2016, in collaboration with the National EMS Memorial Foundation and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride.