The Conversation (0)
Elaine McCallig
Sep 09, 2021
Emergency service workers and NHS staff are being honoured today as part of the UK’s Emergency Services Day, or 999 Day.
The day is a government-backed event which encourages people to pay tribute to the almost two million people who work and volunteer across the NHS and emergency services.
The day is marked with 999 Day flags being raised across the UK at 9am to mark the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month, followed by two minutes’ silence to remember the more than 7,500 members of the emergency services killed in the line of duty over the past 200 years.
Emergency services across the nation have this morning participated in the event to thank their colleagues for all they do.
This morning a small group of #TeamLAS and military partners gathered outside our headquarters to observe a two min… https://t.co/g2OjI8I2pK— London Ambulance Service (@London Ambulance Service) 1631180400
The day’s main event was due to take place in Belfast but due to the pandemic this had to be cancelled. Belfast will host the event in 2022, Wales in 2023, England in 2024, and Scotland in 2025.
Aside from showing appreciation, the day aims to educate the public about using emergency services responsibly, promotes emergency services charities, and highlights the many different career and volunteer roles in the emergency services.
Politicians have also taken the opportunity to thank emergency service personnel, including prime minister Boris Johnson, and first ministers of Scotland and Wales Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford.
On #999Day, we honour those who work & volunteer to keep us safe and well, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the… https://t.co/bpBAedM30V— Boris Johnson (@Boris Johnson) 1631174916
On #999Day, First Minister @NicolaSturgeon thanks our NHS and emergency service workers for their bravery, compassi… https://t.co/tr0K3rydSd— First Minister (@First Minister) 1631178669
VIDEO: The @FMWales, @MarkDrakeford 🏴 praises emergency services. #999Day. https://t.co/Q9KAmOZhrd— Emergency Services Day 🇬🇧 (@Emergency Services Day 🇬🇧) 1631182003
Speaking about 999 Day, Johnson said: “It takes a very special kind of person to put your life on the line for a complete stranger. Yet that is what we see day in, day out from the remarkable men and women of our emergency services.
“All of us in this country owe each of you a debt of gratitude. So, it is only right that, on Emergency Services Day, we celebrate your work and, as a nation, say a huge ‘thank you’ for doing so much for so many.”
Emergency Services Day was founded by Tom Scholes-Fogg in 2016.
Scholes-Fogg said: “We all take the NHS and emergency services for granted. We know that when we really need help, it is there.
“Emergency Services Day is an opportunity for the country to say a huge heartfelt thank you to the 2 million people who put others before themselves.
“I encourage everybody to support our emergency services personnel all year round, not just on 999 Day.”
Here is a glimpse at some of the ways the day was marked across the nation:
We shine our blue light bright all year & we’re especially proud to be part of the blue light family this #999Day… https://t.co/1ddPiu4AiY— HM Coastguard (@HM Coastguard) 1631174223
Most of our rescues begin with a lifesaver like you dialling 999. So today on #999Day, as well as our incredible vo… https://t.co/SY9Doi5gmP— RNLI (@RNLI) 1631183214
Every year, we come together with our colleagues in the Police, Fire & Rescue Service and NHS to celebrate… https://t.co/F4c4xxWPQM— Derbyshire Police (@Derbyshire Police) 1631168122
Today marks @999day. We're celebrating the incredible Emergency Services teams around the country and those at… https://t.co/zmjQwXazAe— yourHeathrow (@yourHeathrow) 1631180911
Today is #999Day. Please join us in thanking every single one of our incredible emergency services for all that the… https://t.co/zQUc2eDMgp— St John Ambulance (@St John Ambulance) 1631178759
As well as being #BackToSchool week for many, today is also @999Day, an annual event aiming to promote the work of… https://t.co/x1d4DSpDnj— National Emergency Services Museum (@National Emergency Services Museum) 1631167210
On #999Day, we remember all those emergency services personnel killed in the line of duty in the last 200 years & t… https://t.co/g2Qi1ABJ0a— Surrey Police (@Surrey Police) 1631181512
Today we mark @999Day. Our Chief Officer Martin Blunden led our efforts to honour the extraordinary efforts of cu… https://t.co/uwi1RMydJ2— Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (@Scottish Fire and Rescue Service) 1631178674
@NWAmbulance Today we celebrate and remember on #999day #National #emergencyservicesday members of the… https://t.co/sT71srvvkd— Heart 💚 of EMT 🚑 🚑 🚑 (@Heart 💚 of EMT 🚑 🚑 🚑) 1631182004
At 9am this morning we'll pay silent tribute to emergency services friends and colleagues who have died as a result… https://t.co/Gu6BsKqcZI— West Midlands Fire Service (@West Midlands Fire Service) 1631173501
On this day we would like to show support to our incredible emergency service personnel, past and present, who work… https://t.co/7fVjebqute— Scottish MR (@Scottish MR) 1631177835
Today we remember more than 7,500 emergency service workers who have sadly lost their lives whilst on duty. We hel… https://t.co/bTLoJAWCYe— Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service (@Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service) 1631176514
Today is #EmergencyServicesDay, and we want to say a massive thank you to the millions of people who work and volun… https://t.co/yFJ5iiHQHP— NHS England and NHS Improvement (@NHS England and NHS Improvement) 1631170826
Today is #999Day and we want to say a huge thank you to all those who work or volunteer in the Police, Fire, Ambula… https://t.co/9PUm6bvoch— Avon and Somerset Police (@Avon and Somerset Police) 1631170801
Today is #999DAY! We want to say thank you to all our officers and staff, who work as One Team, and alongside other… https://t.co/hQChlRgcL2— Merseyside Police (@Merseyside Police) 1631171032
Today is Emergency Services Day. To our officers and staff, past and present, To our colleagues across the blue l… https://t.co/3QrqD4BDz0— British Transport Police (@British Transport Police) 1631170212
Thank you, from all of us.