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It took two years and contributions from hundreds of EMS professionals and members of the public to craft the bold plan for EMS laid out in EMS Agenda 2050. But the hard work starts now as the EMS community shifts from describing the EMS system of the future to creating it. Officially entitled “EMS Agenda 2050: […]
Most 911 systems across the United States were originally built using analog technologies that have become outdated, unreliable and impractical. That’s why the National 911 Program, housed in NHTSA’s Office of EMS, is supporting efforts to upgrade public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the country to a digital or Internet Protocol (IP)-based 911 system – […]
The National EMS Education Standards have helped educators, certifying bodies and regulators ensure that EMS providers receive an education that prepares them to perform their roles to the very best of their abilities. Now a full decade old since their release in 2009, the current education standards require an update to ensure that the education of new […]
Officials from several agencies gathered in Washington in early December for a meeting of the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS), which helps coordinate EMS-related policy and planning issues across the Federal Government. The agenda included a discussion of some of the responses received to a recent Request for Information (RFI) about how to improve […]
Several new and returning members of the National EMS Advisory Council were sworn in and discussed their priorities at a meeting in Washington in October. A complete list of current NEMSAC members is available on EMS.gov. The council discussed a wide range of topics, from improving data analysis in EMS to addressing staffing shortages in both […]
The opioid crisis has raised questions about the best way to address patients’ pain in the field. While there’s no evidence tying prehospital administration of narcotics to addiction or overdose deaths, finding alternatives to managing pain could reduce the amount of opioids in the field. At the same time, it is critical that patients’ pain […]
At a forum in September in Washington, speakers challenged EMS leaders in the audience to begin making the changes necessary to achieve a truly people-centered EMS system. “Doing things that are truly people-centered will take hard work and create bruised egos,” said Andy Gienapp, director of the Wyoming Office of EMS. “But that’s our challenge. […]
This past fall the NHTSA Office of EMS and National 911 Program welcomed four new members to the team. Each of them brings unique expertise and experience, and they are excited to contribute to the important work of improving EMS systems across the country. The four new members are: Eric Chaney, Emergency Medical Services Specialist […]
In the past few months, the NHTSA Office of EMS has had several exciting staff changes. We are pleased to introduce the newest members of our team. Jeremy Kinsman first joined the Office of EMS in June 2015 as a public health fellow through a program sponsored by the Association of Schools and Programs of […]
In July, US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao appointed 24 leaders from EMS, healthcare and other sectors to serve on the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC). Chosen from more than 100 nominations, new and returning members will collaborate to provide advice and recommendations regarding EMS to NHTSA and to the members of the Federal Interagency […]