ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va. — EMS professionals, families, friends and colleagues from across the country will gather in July to honor 37 EMS and air medical professionals who died in the line of duty.
The 2026 National EMS Weekend of Honor will be held July 17–19 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the National EMS Memorial Service said in a press release.
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“EMS professionals serve every community in this country, often without recognition, and some make the ultimate sacrifice. Behind every name we honor is a family whose loved one never came home,” National EMS Memorial Service President Scott Davis said. “This weekend is our opportunity, as an industry and as a nation, to stand together, honor those we’ve lost and remind their families that the EMS community will always remember. We will keep showing up, year after year, to make sure their sacrifices are always remembered.”
Two events during the weekend will be open to the public and the media. Organizers are inviting community members to attend and show support for the honorees and the families they left behind.
The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride’s Ride of Honor will escort the Moving Honors procession into the Washington area, arriving at the Hyatt Regency that afternoon. A ceremony will follow, featuring the unveiling of the Tree of Life with the names of the 37 honorees and the presentation of dog tags to their families.
A formal ceremony honoring fallen EMS and air medical professionals will be held the evening of July 18 and livestreamed for those unable to attend. Organizers said the link will be posted on the National EMS Memorial Service website and Facebook page, while therapy dogs and grief support teams will be available throughout the weekend.
