Editors, Vineyard Gazette;

This week is National EMS Week and we would be remiss if we did not recognize and applaud the excellent partnership Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has with all of our first responders here on the Island. We are so fortunate to work with the great teams of professionals who perform outstanding service in providing care to our neighbors and friends during emergencies.

During this week and every week, we salute the women and men who make up Oak Bluffs EMS, Tisbury EMS, Edgartown EMS and Tritown Ambulance. We are also fortunate to have women and men in our Island police departments and the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department who also provide life-saving care when needed.

The work done by MedFlight and the U.S. Coast Guard, sometimes in very difficult weather conditions, to airlift patients off-Island is also greatly appreciated.

Finally, the nurses and providers in our emergency department, who work so closely with all of these agencies, also deserve our gratitude and respect.

We feel so fortunate to have you all as partners performing heroically for Vineyarders and our visitors who are in crisis. Thank you for all that you do today and every day.

Karen Casper, MD, emergency medical department director, Ryn Gluckman, RN, nurse director, emergency department.