TODAY marks Emergency Services Day.
The event, also known as 999 Day, is a chance to thank emergency workers for the work they do, as well as remember those who have lost their lives on the frontline.
It begins at 9am today, the ninth day of the ninth month, with a national two-minute silence to mark the 7,000 UK emergency workers who have lost their lives.
Speaking about the annual event, the Welsh Ambulance Service's chief executive, Jason Killens, praised the "fantastic people" across the organisation, as well as blue-light colleagues, for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.
This #EmergencyServicesDay, we’d like to praise the courage and commitment of our colleagues. 👏
— Gwent Police (@gwentpolice) September 9, 2020
👮👩🚒👨⚕️
Call-handling, policing our streets, fighting fires, providing medical care – we have worked together in the toughest of circumstances this year.#999Day pic.twitter.com/YhlLIDgbFg
He said: "As we celebrate Emergency Services day across the UK today I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to our fantastic people right across the ambulance service here in Wales and of course across the UK too.
“It is also right that I pay tribute to and thank our emergency service colleagues in the military who have been with us and helped us so much through our response to the pandemic this year and of course it continues today.
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“So as we celebrate National Emergency Services Day across the UK I want to finish again by paying tribute to my fantastic team here and right across Team WAST here at the Welsh Ambulance Service.”
The inaugural event took place in 2018 and was founded by serving police officer Tom Scholes-Fogg and backed by then Prime Minister, Theresa May.
The event was established to promote the work of the emergency services, to promote volunteering opportunities and any campaigns currently being run by emergency services.
Today is #999day and an opportunity for us to celebrate and say thank you to all our SWFRS staff and our emergency service colleagues. Thank you for all you do to keep us safe 🚒🚑🚓 pic.twitter.com/lo5aAeE1te
— South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (@SWFireandRescue) September 9, 2020
Emergency service workers and the wider public are encouraged to mark it.
This year, instead of a physical event, the organisers are encouraging a fully digital celebration and are asking emergency services to use their social media channels to celebrate and promote their work and activities using the below methods:
- Hashtag: #999Day
- Twitter: @999Day
- Facebook: @Official999Day
- Instagram: @Official999Day
- Website: www.999Day.org.uk
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