In this episode of the EMS One-Stop podcast, host Rob Lawrence revisits an issue close to the heart of every EMS professional: creating a permanent National EMS Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Rob is joined by Tony O’Brien and James Robinson from the National EMS Memorial Foundation to provide a clear, candid update on where the project stands, why it matters, and what still needs to be done.
From the Weekend of Remembrance to the dream of a year-round place of solace and reverence in the nation’s capital, this conversation lays out the long road from idea to reality — and why EMS, as James puts it, truly deserves this.
Tony and James walk listeners through the 24-step federal Commemorative Works Act process, the hard work of narrowing 312 potential sites down to three, and the current push to reauthorize the Foundation’s federal authority through House Resolution 2196 and Senate Bill 2546.
They explain the preferred site in front of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building (HHS), the partnership with MIT’s School of Architecture and Urban Risk Lab on a powerful design, and the practical realities of funding, sponsorship and bureaucracy.
Most importantly, they end with a clear call to action for the EMS community: contact your elected officials, donate what you can, and help spread the word so that a permanent memorial to EMS can finally take its place in Washington, D.C.
Additional resources-
EMS Memorial Bills:
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2025 National EMS Weekend of Honor recognizes 29 fallen EMS workers
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‘Never forgotten’: 2025 Moving Honors procession honors 29 EMS providers lost in the line of duty
00:44 – Rob introduces the episode, sets the scene for a revisit of the National EMS Memorial effort, and welcomes guests Tony O’Brien and James Robinson.
01:30 – Tony and James share their backstories.
03:53 – Tony explains the origins of the Foundation at the Weekend of Remembrance/Weekend of Honor and the realization that EMS needs a permanent memorial people can visit year-round.
06:54 – James outlines the Commemorative Works Act, the 24-step process, and how the Foundation has reached step 15-16 over roughly 15 years.
07:54 – Tony details the grueling site-selection work: visiting 312 sites, environmental and noise studies, traffic and solitude considerations, and narrowing to three candidate locations.
10:48 – James describes the need for an Act of Congress to begin, Congressman Stephen Lynch’s early sponsorship, and the 2018 authorization that started a 7-year clock — complicated by the pandemic and federal shutdowns.
13:12 – Tony explains how the initial authorization expired, the need for reauthorization and the most recent Senate subcommittee hearing on federal lands where James testified.
16:41 – James and Tony frame the new bills: Senate Bill 2546 and House Resolution 2196, their bipartisan sponsors and the push for more co-sponsors.
19:49 – Tony lays out the three-point call to action: contact Congress, donate via EMSMemorial.org, and follow/share @EMSMemorial on social media.
23:06 – Tony describes the three remaining sites and why Independence Ave. & 3rd St SW, in front of HHS, is the preferred location.
24:42 – Tony highlights the pro-bono design work by MIT’s School of Architecture and Urban Risk Lab, and the deep engagement with providers, families and survivors.
26:32 – James explains the historical nexus of EMS with HEW/HHS and why the Humphrey Building plaza offers the right reverence, proximity to the Capitol and connection to EMS history.
29:01 – Tony and James discuss next steps: reauthorization first, then finalizing site and design to approach major sponsors with clear answers on location, look and cost — while acknowledging the project has been bootstrapped so far.
32:03 – Tony reassures donors: the Foundation is
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