On November 8, the EMS Memorial Site Review Team visited Kansas City to view potential sites for the Tree of Life Memorial.  As many of you know, a collaborative effort has been underway by many Missouri EMS agencies to bring the memorial to Kansas City.

 

The Tree of Life is a memorial to honor Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers who have made the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives in the line of duty.  Over 350 individuals from 44 states and the District of Columbia have been honored on the Tree of Life.  

While in Kansas City, the Site Review Team expressed the need for many people to be involved with the project on an ongoing basis. 

Later, the team was treated to a luncheon sponsored by the Mid America Regional Council on Emergency Rescue (MARCER).  Eighty-five people from all different agencies across Missouri and Kansas attended.

Well over 50 agencies provided their logos or patches which were displayed in a power point presentation before and during the luncheon.  The Site Review Team was also presented with a book of letters of support and proclamations.  There were 18 letters from elected officials including the Governor of Missouri, 36 letters from EMS agencies and 20 proclamations from cities and agencies supporting the project.

Since 1993 the Tree of Life Memorial has been housed in Roanoke, Virginia.  The recent closing of the “To the Rescue Museum” which housed the Tree of Life created the nationwide search to establish a new site for the memorial. 

Each spring the families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty have been invited to visit the memorial and participate in ceremonies honoring their lives.  Hundreds of EMS workers travel long distances to take part in the event and pay their respects. 

With this in mind, the design team representatives, Marsha Hoffman from SFS Architects and Dave Stokes from the Jeffery Bruce Architect firm, presented the Site Review Committee with ideas to make the memorial an experience and not just a monument. 

Several local, state and national elected officials attended or sent representatives.  Presidents or vice-presidents of MEMSA, MAA, ADAM, KEMSA, NAEMT and MARCER werein attendance.  Financial support was also provided by KEMSA, MEMSA, MAA, MARC, MARCER, LifeFlight Eagle and MAST to help pay for airplane tickets, hotels and meals for the Site Review Team. 

It seems the Site Review Team left Kansas City with a very good impression of the interest and dedication to the project. “You left no stone unturned,” they said in their parting comments. 

Two other sites are also being considered as homes for the Tree of Life Memorial, Colorado Springs and Washington DC.

The EMS Memorial Board of Directors will select a site in early 2008.  Information and updates may be requested by emailing  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it