Families of 37 EMS Heroes from 18 States to Gather for the National EMS Weekend of Honor

Source: National EMS Memorial Service

ARLINGTON, VA—In a few weeks, the families, friends and loved ones of the 37 EMS and air medical professionals who died in the line of duty will travel to Arlington, Virgina, for the 2026 National EMS Memorial Weekend of Honor, a solemn three-day tribute to the men and women who gave their lives serving others. The Weekend is scheduled for July 17-19 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington.

In addition to this special weekend, the National EMS Memorial Service once again conducted its Moving Honors tribute. This endeavor involves a specially marked ambulance carrying this year’s section of the temporary National EMS Memorial, known as the Tree of Life, which will be unveiled at the Weekend of Honor. This year’s procession began in Redding, California, on June 1. It made various stops over 30 days through at least 25 states as it traveled to Arlington. On July 17, the Moving Honors will join the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride’s special Ride of Honor riders just outside of Arlington. Together, they will parade into the Hyatt to launch the National EMS Weekend of Honor and unveil the Tree of Life memorial to the honoree families.

There are many activities and events over the three days, including two that the public and media are invited and encouraged to attend. Joining the Weekend of Honor will be various therapy and comfort dogs on site to support families and attendees, as well as specially trained grief support groups.

Friday, July 17 - Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery

• 11:15 a.m.—Four handpicked members of the National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS) Honor Guard will participate in a formal wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

Friday, July 17 - Arrival of the National EMS Memorial Ride of Honor and Moving Honors Procession, Hyatt Regency Crystal City

• Approximately 4 p.m.—A specially marked ambulance completing a 30-day, 25-state, 9,000-mile journey from Redding, California, will arrive escorted by a police motorcade and EMS vehicles. The ambulance carries the 2026 EMS Tree of Life memorial, which will be unveiled in a ceremony for the honoree families.
• Cyclists wearing dog tags bearing each honoree’s name will personally present one tag to the fallen provider’s family members during a special ceremony during which the names of the honorees will be read—an emotionally powerful part of the Weekend of Honor.

Saturday, July 18 - National EMS Memorial Service, Hyatt Regency Crystal City

• 5 p.m.—Formal ceremony with honor guards, bagpipe and drum corps, presentation of special honors to the families of the honorees and candlelight tribute.
• Honorees will be highlighted in pictures during the ceremony, and a special video compilation of the Moving Honors will be played.
• The entire service will be livestreamed via Facebook.
• Hundreds of EMS personnel from across the country will participate in the service, along with families, friends, coworkers of current and past honorees, dignitaries, EMS and business leaders and government officials.
• 6 p.m.—a National Moment of Silence will be called so that EMS agencies across the U.S. can pause simultaneously for radio silence to pay respect and remember the fallen.
• The National EMS Memorial “Tree of Life” will be on display with individual bronze oak leaves engraved with the names of the fallen honorees. The Tree of Life is a temporary memorial until a permanent memorial is established.

"The families who come to Arlington each year for the Weekend of Honor have already given more than most of us can imagine,” said Scott Davis, president, National EMS Memorial Service. “Our duty is to make sure they know their loved ones’ sacrifice meant something, not just to their crew and the communities they served, but to every person in this country who has ever called 9-1-1 for a medical emergency. The names of these 37 heroes will always be remembered. As long as we gather, as long as we ride, as long as we serve, and as long as we say their names—their memories will live on."

About the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride

The mission of the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride is to honor EMS personnel by organizing and implementing long-distance cycling events that memorialize and celebrate the lives of those who serve every day, those who have become sick or injured while performing their duties, and those who have died in the line of duty. Visit us at nemsmbr.org.

About the National EMS Memorial Service

The National EMS Memorial Service is the only congressionally sanctioned organization honoring EMS and air medical professionals from across the United States who have made the ultimate sacrifice, dying in the line of duty. The annual memorial service is the nation’s highest tribute to fallen EMS providers. For more information, visit national-ems-memorial.org.