BOCK, Minn. — EMS providers are the only first responders in Minnesota without a memorial at the State Capitol honoring those who died in the line of duty. Now, veteran Paramedic Adam Harvey is working to change that, the Union Times reported.
Harvey has spent nearly 20 years in emergency medical services and serves as ambulance service manager for Wellia in Mora. He also founded the Minnesota EMS Line of Duty Death Memorial Foundation.
The foundation is advocating for the creation of the state’s first official Capitol memorial honoring EMS providers who died in the line of duty.
Since forming the foundation, Harvey has contacted lawmakers and raised support for the memorial effort. Because Capitol memorials must be privately funded, Harvey began fundraising. The Hennepin County Association of Paramedics first sponsored the project before the foundation became a nonprofit.
“We had just been focusing on growing and trying to raise money, but last year our application crossed the point that the state is now working on site selection,” Harvey said.
The state must approve a location before design work can begin, Harvey said. The memorial is expected to feature the names of fallen EMS providers, with final fundraising to follow site selection and design approval.
“It’s really important for a family member or a loved one to have a place to go to remember them,” Harvey said. “Right now, there is no place for that. Their names just sit on a website. They deserve that recognition.”
The effort has raised about $50,000, with more fundraising planned. Harvey also received national recognition in March as the first recipient of the EMS Advancement Champion Award.
