National EMS Week is May 21–27
Wake County Emergency Medical Services will honor survivors of cardiac arrest at the 14th annual Code: Celebrate! on Tuesday, May 23. The free, public event will reunite survivors and the responders who cared for them and takes place from 6–8 p.m. at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater inside the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
Named after “code blue,” the term relayed by 911 dispatchers for cardiac arrest, Code: Celebrate! is held as part of National EMS Week. The annual event was put on hold in recent years due to COVID-19.
“We’re so excited that Code: Celebrate! is back in 2023,” said Shinica Thomas, chair, Wake County Board of Commissioners. “I look forward to hearing the survivors’ inspirational stories and recognizing the great work our first responders do for our community.”
In addition to Thomas, the event will feature comments from:
- David Ellis, Wake County Manager
- Don Garner Jr., Wake County EMS Chief Operating Officer
- Dr. Jeff Williams, Wake County EMS Deputy Medical Director
Following the speakers, survivors and their family members will be invited to the stage to share their stories with the crowd. The event will feature musical performances and other demonstrations.
The Wake County EMS system has one of the most successful cardiac arrest survival programs in the nation. In 2022, the system celebrated 109 cardiac saves.
Learn more about the event at wake.gov/CodeCelebrate.
