Sometimes you don’t know what you love until you are exposed to it.

“I fell in love with the emergency medical service after my first ride-a-long,” said EMS assistant professor and 15-year volunteer paramedic LeRon Lewis of Newport News, Virginia. “I still very much enjoy EMS, and I love teaching it even more! It's always evolving, challenging, and above anything else, it allows me an opportunity to do something for others. To go beyond myself, particularly in someone else's time of need.”

Being there in others’ time of need is one of the key reasons Lewis and other EMS professionals across the nation will be celebrated during National EMS Week, May 19-25.  Established in 1974, EMS Week is meant to bring together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide lifesaving services.

Lewis, who has been involved in EMS for 15 years, truly enjoys his work as an assistant professor at Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Virginia.

“I enjoy the teaching and learning process. It truly is that — a process,” he said. “Watching students progress through basic to advanced skills, and then to see them apply their knowledge on cumulative integrated scenarios, gets and keeps me excited!”

His joy about learning is also reflected in his own efforts as he holds a bachelor’s degree in health care administration with a concentration in EMS management from Columbia Southern University.

Lewis, a Fredericksburg, Virginia, native, has served as a leader with the Spotsylvania Volunteer Rescue Squad and won several EMS/EMT awards, including the Rappahannock Regional EMS Council Outstanding Pre-Hospital EMS Educator in 2015 and the Virginia Office of EMS Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to EMS by a Telecommunications Officer.