Pharr issues proclamations for Stop the Bleed Day, EMS Week and Public Works Week; honors staff and leadership graduates

PHARR, Texas — The Pharr City Commission issued multiple proclamations and recognitions at its May 19 meeting, highlighting emergency-response training, public-works staff and municipal leadership development.

Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez and commissioners read proclamations recognizing May 22, 2025, as National Stop the Bleed Day, designating May 2025 as Emergency Medical Services Week and declaring May 18–24, 2025, National Public Works and Public Utilities Week. The proclamations acknowledged local EMS training efforts, the city’s public-works workforce, and partnerships with regional hospital systems and emergency-response organizations.

Why it matters

The Stop the Bleed proclamation noted that the national campaign trains laypeople to control traumatic bleeding, citing partnerships including the U.S. Department of Defense and national medical organizations. City officials said the program has trained more than 1,000 people through classes at the EMS headquarters and will hold multiple training sessions and a blood drive on May 22.

The EMS Week proclamation recognized the city’s EMS providers and their out-of-hospital care role, while the Public Works proclamation highlighted employees’ roles in infrastructure, water, wastewater and stormwater services and announced public events tied to Public Works Week.

Presentations and recognitions

- Dan Dominguez and Chief Danny Ramirez (Pharr EMS) described Stop the Bleed training and a May 22 schedule of five classes and an on-site blood drive.

- Commissioner Ramiro Caballero read the EMS Week proclamation on behalf of the mayor and commission.

- Public Utilities Director Ruben Rosales and others highlighted Public Works Week activities and honored long-serving employees, naming staff members with years of service (e.g., Sergio Yanez — 34 years; Robert Vela — 22 years; Reyes Castro — 18 years; Carlos Salazar — 15 years).

- Veronica Ramirez, the city’s human-resources director, was honored for receiving the “Professional of the Year — Director” award at the Texas Municipal Human Resources Conference on May 7; commissioners praised HR programs such as “HR on Your Turf.”

- Multiple department directors and staff were recognized for completing the Texas Municipal League Leadership Academy; the commissioners emphasized professional development and applying lessons from the course to city operations.

Staff noted that the city will host Stop the Bleed classes, Public Works Week open-station activities and a public hurricane-preparedness event in the coming days; event dates and basic registration details were presented from the city manager’s events recap.

The proclamations and recognitions were ceremonial and informational; no formal policy changes or budget approvals were made as part of these items.