Next week, May 19-24 marks the 50th Anniversary of EMS Week.

EMS Week celebrates the paramedics, EMTs and other EMS professionals who work diligently to care for their patients and serve their communities in times of crisis.

This year’s theme, “Honoring Our Past. Forging Our Future,” reminds those in the profession to acknowledge the foundational work of those who came before, while also striving to build and lead the EMS system for the future.

With that in mind, Wadley’s EMS in Purcell is also celebrating 50 years in business here.

James and Peggy Wadley started out in the ambulance business in McAlester in 1968 and officially hung out their shingle in Purcell Feb. 1, 1974.

David Wadley owned the business for nine years before Jackie and Janie took over in 2003.

Wadley’s has branched out, now having the ambulance service in both Wynnewood and Stratford in addition to Purcell.

When James started out in Purcell the company had six employees. Jackie reports now the company has 50 employees.

Janie is a 1981 graduate of Purcell High School while Jackie graduated from PHS in 1983.

“The most gratifying part of my job is being able to serve the people in the communities we serve,” Jackie said.

The EMS company in Purcell averages 10 calls a day while Stratford and Wynnewood average about two calls a day.

“Some days we’ll only have five and some days it’s 25,” the 40-year veteran EMS director said of the Purcell location.

Of his 50 employees company-wide 25 are on duty in Purcell.

“We have two trucks here 24 hours a day seven days a week,” Wadley said.

The company has an extra eight-hour truck from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on their busiest days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. They also have a night truck from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on those three days.