Their reel, shared on Facebook, shows Cartwright at a loss for words because with every effort he starts laughing. “Hello everyone. Welcome to Luton Ambulance Station,” says Tamarro. Before introducing himself, Cartwright bursts out laughing, which then makes Tamarro laugh. Finally – after several interruptions punctuated by laughter – Tamarro is able to explain that the first International Paramedic Day is on July 8 and asks his colleague, “What’s it like to be a paramedic?” “It’s pretty cool being a paramedic,” Cartwright says, before laughing again. “I don’t know why I keep saying that. I can’t stop saying ‘I feel good’. I’m so sorry!” The clip was shared by the East of England Ambulance Service, or EEAST, NHS Trust and gained widespread attention online. “We’ve received thousands of wonderful messages about Dave and Joe’s many efforts in their message for World Paramedics Day,” Tom Abell, chief executive of EEAST, said in a statement to CBS News. “I know they’ve both been surprised by the response.”
“We felt it was important to celebrate this first International Paramedics Day on Friday 8 July to celebrate the work of our dedicated crews, who work so hard to support our patients and communities.” International Paramedics Day was created and organized by the College of Paramedics in the UK, as well as paramedic professional organizations from around the world. July 8 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the birth of Dominique-Jean Larrey, “the man often referred to as the ‘father of modern ambulance services,’” according to the College of Paramedics. The organization shared several other videos from paramedics on July 8 to mark the day. “Really very proud to be a paramedic and watch the profession grow,” Marcus Bailey, chief operating officer at EEAST, said in a video. “The amazing things that everyone does every day, it’s amazing. It’s so special.” “Like 32,000 others in the UK, I’m a paramedic,” says Graham Clark, a paramedic and chair of EEAST’s LGBT+ network. “Being a paramedic is important to me. It gives me a privileged opportunity to be there for people in the best moments of their lives – but also to make their worst moments a little easier or bearable.”

Caitlin O’Kane

Caitlin O’Kane is a trending digital content producer for CBS News and the good news brand The Uplift.