To celebrate EMS Week the public came together Wednesday afternoon to give thanks to the brave men and women saving lives daily in the community.

To honor those heroes here in the Grand Valley local hospitals and the Emergency Medical Services Council held a luncheon for our EMS providers.

These men and women were thanked for their services while some were given special awards.

Survivors say without these emergency teams they wouldn’t be alive.

These first responders were awarded the Phoenix Award. The award recognizes outstanding treatment of a patient in cardiac arrest who makes a full recovery.