St. Joseph’s Medical Center Holds Blessing of the Rigs for Local First Responders

(STOCKTON, CA) October 29, 2025 – Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center (SJMC) held their third annual Blessing of the Rigs & Responders event on Tuesday, October 28th, in recognition of National First Responders Day.

SJMC offered a county-wide invitation to all city and county fire, police, sheriff, and highway patrol departments, and county ambulance companies to attend. Festivities entailed an interfaith blessing of the vehicles and first responders, which also included specialty units and motorcycles. 

“We are immensely proud to stand alongside our first responders, who embody compassion and courage every day,” shared Tammy Shaff, Director of Community Health at St. Joseph's Medical Center. “Their unwavering dedication as frontline partners in health is vital in creating a healthier and safer San Joaquin County for everyone, and we are delighted in recognizing them in a special way today."

Nearly 80 first responders and 43 different rigs attended, including 16 patrol vehicles, 15 ambulances, 4 fire trucks, 2 boats, 2 jet skis, 2 motorcycles, 1 BearCat, and 1 Watch Commander, with Chaplains from the Spiritual Services Department performing the blessings for the first responders and their respective rigs. In addition to the blessing, each first responder received lunch and a token to show appreciation from SJMC, in addition to having the opportunity to enter a raffle.

For more information on St. Joseph’s Medical Center’s Community Health programs, please visit https://www.dignityhealth.org/central-california/locations/stjosephs-stockton/about-us/community-programs. 

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About St. Joseph’s Medical Center 
Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 355 beds, a physician staff of over 700, and more than 2,700 employees. Specializing in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services, St. Joseph's is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. As a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education, St. Joseph’s supports rapidly growing educational programs for both resident physicians and medical students. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton.