National EMS Memorial Bike Ride

One of the most moving memorials was in Maryland for the crew and patients of Trooper 2. You can get a sense of how intense it was on this video.

The 2009 brochure for the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride is now available.

Riders, Wingmen and anybody else with an interest are granted permission to and encouraged to make copies of the brochure and post them in stations, hospitals or anywhere else that you think of.

Thanks for helping spread the word!

On Saturday July 12th, over 240 cyclists took off from Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, in the 5th Annual Emergency Services and Friends Cycle. Included were Muddy Angels Kieran Henry from Cork City, Gary Parkinson and Chris Grant from Northern Ireland, and Greg Castillo from New Hampshire. The ride took off from the Skibbereen Fire Station, and went through Drimoleague, Dunmanway, Clonakilty, and Leap, before returning to Skibbereen. The weather was beautiful, the sites were great, and the support was great. We received help from the Health Services Executive, Cork County Fire Brigade, and the Garda. All of our rest stops were sponsored by the Gaelic Athletic Association. Overall, over $50,000 euros were raised ($79,000+ USD)

You can’t describe the beauty of the country we rode through. The best I can say is look at a postcard, and then imagine a whole rolling landscape of fields, grasslands, hills, and and farms. The hills weren’t bad, the winds stayed down, and it never rained. Overall, you can’t ask for anything better. The people were great, the food was good, and the bars afterward were exceptional. The Irish phrase is ‘craic’ meaning goods times or to party hard/party hearty. Let me tell you, the craic in Skibbereen was excellent!

Sent over by Jennifer was almost thirty T-shirts, as well as Muddy Angels pins, stickers, and wrist bands. Also, FDNY gear was donated by Mike Potasso, and I brought over T-shirts, patches and a few other things. Between selling and giving away items, we managed to raise some money, spread awareness of our cause, and hopefully recruit a handful of people to come over next year. I hope every Muddy Angel stays safe, around the country and around the world, until we can meet again. Look forward to seeing everybody next may in New York!

I just got a call from Keiran and some Irish Muddy Angels direct from Ireland!

Of course their ride is today. The weather is beautiful there, clouds and sun. I spoke with Greg (aka Borat) who is our representative there! He said the hills are easier than Virginia and it is a very leisurely ride. He has learned a new word (or at least on he can share), CRAIK (sounds like crack) – to have a good time, to party hard. And he is doing both of those things as well as taking lots of pictures and speaking with a new accent.

I also spoke with Chris Grant, who was supportive of our ride and who’s son was a victim of an injury due to a on-duty accident. He loves our muddy angel! He wants to meet us in person next year!

I wished them all well – and can’t wait to hear more from Greg when he comes home. We really are International Muddy Angels!

Jennifer

Arriving home just about 5 hours ago, figured there is no time like the present to wrap up our experience of NEMSMBR 2008! I hope all of you made it home without incident and are taking some time for yourselves.

All I can say is, what a ride!

Starting May 10 in the streets of Louisiana, under the unprecedented and supreme guidance of Mr. Stuart Redfearn 31 riders completed a first-ever day-long journey in some hot weather to bring attention to our profession and those who have given their lives because of it.

The following Friday evening many of the NY to Roanoke riders gathered in the Laguardia Airport Hotel to be briefed and introduced by Mr. David Page and Ms. Susan Erwin to that leg of this momentus event. New friendships started to form, Muddy Angels and their Wingmen started to emerge. On Saturday morning, May 17, others joined in the group at Jacobi to kick-off that route’s start of a week not soon to be forgotten.

And on Sunday morning, May 18, several more Muddy Angels joined in on the trek from the west under the direction of Jeni and Kyle Phillips, to pedal their way towards Roanoke, VA via some significant hills and valleys of KY, WV, and VA.

Rolling hills were not our only ups and downs, to be sure…..we had some emotional roller coaster rides with scheduled events including family members of our fallen in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, LA – Perth Amboy, NJ, – Garden of Remembrance, Buck’s County, and Philadelphia PA – Paintsville, KY – Annapolis, MD. The external downs of the Blacksburg accident and then the break-ins were minimal compared to the internal ups of accomplishment of Skyline Drive and the completion of a CENTURY the very next day!!! 23 NY Riders meeting up with the 6 KY riders was a thrill, only more enhanced by EVERYONE cheering us back into Salem – it made this President so very proud that we were finally all together, having promised Kyle Phillips one year previously that we would all be Muddy Angels and we are!!

The arrival into Roanoke after a week of expectation, lived up to it with the largest reception I can recall. I hugged so many family members who were physically shaking in appreciation of our efforts.

Thanks to all of you who gave everything you had to make this a success, it doesn’t matter what your role, biker – support – sponsor, each was a vital part of the 2008 success story of the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride. Think about it! There were a million moving parts, it took a miracle for them all to happen in sync as they did – and the very few parts that didn’t move right, weren’t the vital ones! PHEW!!!!

May every time you reach into your pocket and pull out your challenge coin may you remember this ride and all it meant….and should you forget the coin, be prepared for someone, somewhere to ask you to show it……hee hee.

-Jennifer

Part of the mission of this ride is that we want to raise awareness regarding EMS, LODD, and work related safety/injuries in EMS. We will have events in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Annapolis, and Washington DC. In DC, we have teamed up with Advocates for EMS to create a special event. This required Rep. Oberstar to actually pass a bill to allow us to be on the grounds of the US Capitol!!

Please help us!

Talk to your Members of Congress DC Office about the bike ride special event at the US Capitol.

Letters of invitation have been delivered to the members of congress from the states that each rider is coming from. It works best if you can follow up directly, and if the Member cannot attend ask if a staffer would be willing to.

Thanks!

This is the letter of invitation they received:

On behalf of The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR) and Advocates for EMS, we would like to invite you to participate in an event on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 in Upper Senate Park from 12:00-1:00 p.m. honoring emergency medical services providers who have become injured or who have died in the line of duty. Advocates for EMS is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to educate elected and appointed officials as well as the public at-large on important issues affecting the EMS community. The NEMSMBR is a
non-profit organization that started as a grassroots effort in Boston, MA in 2002 as a “ride to remember” to the Annual National EMS Memorial Service in Roanoke, VA. This year the event includes riders from 24 states and Ireland.

From May 17 – May 23, 2008, 110 participants will bike from New York City or Lexington, KY to Roanoke, VA, the location of the National EMS Memorial. The riders’ stop in Washington on the 20th is primarily focused on raising public awareness about those who have lost their life or suffered a debilitating injury in the line of duty, as well as to voice their support
for H.R. 3822, which broadens the Public Safety Officer Benefit Program death benefits to nongovernmental and volunteer firefighters, ground and air ambulance crew members, and first responders. We would be honored if you or a member of your staff would attend the event.

To RSVP or for additional information please contact Lisa Meyer at Cornerstone Government Affairs at (202)448-9522 or lmeyer@cgagroup.com.

We hope you will be able to join us!

David Page MS, NREMT-P
Vice President
National EMS Memorial Bike Ride
Cell: 651-341-0111
E-mail: dpage@ehs.net
Web: www.muddyangels.org