Dear Fellow Citizens of Manassas,

Since 1966, it has been an honor for our Squad’s volunteers EMS providers and those members who support them, to serve our community with high quality pre-hospital care. As part of the City’s Fire and Rescue System, we work hand-in-hand with our fellow City of Manassas Fire and Rescue Department’s Firefighters, EMTs and Medics who work out of Fire Station 21.

Each year since 1974, the third week in May has been designated National EMS Week to recognize first responders for the work they do responding to 911 calls for service from the people of this great country. Responding to such calls, especially during the past two years during the pandemic, has underscored the importance of having dedicated volunteers and career EMS providers. This year’s theme for National EMS Week is “Rising to the Challenge”.

In February this year, for the first time in two years, our Squad members were able to gather in person with family members and City officials to install their 2022 officers and to fellowship over a meal together. I’d like to share a small part of that evening with you, which I believe summarizes the spirit of our Squad and what empowers us to “rise to the challenge”, as expressed in the Invocation delivered by Kim Sweet our Chaplin:

Dear Lord – We come before you to acknowledge your presence, to thank and praise you for protecting this Squad through another difficult year. We have witnessed the ongoing effects of a pandemic on this community, and in fact, the world.
Our lives have been impacted in many different ways by what we have experienced, and yet in the process, have come to understand more fully that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and to serve rather than be served. Thank you for teaching and affirming those values in us.
In the year ahead, we seek your continued protection as we treat and care for our patients, and serve our community. We also pray for our City leaders as they carry out the many functions of governance with integrity and wisdom. Amen

Finally, I’d like to set the stage for how the GMVRS plans to celebrate this year’s National EMS Week. We’re calling it “GMVRS Member Profiles”. Each day during that week, we will post an article to our website and social media platforms that features one or more of our volunteer members, to provide a snapshot of their EMS stories. It is hoped that by getting to know your community’s EMS volunteers a bit better, you’ll come to a better understanding of why they do what they do, what they’ve done to get there, and perhaps be challenged to consider “rising to the challenge” yourself.

We hope you’ll enjoy reading about your volunteers at the GMVRS!

Sincerely,
Peter Rockx
President, GMVRS