EMS News Archive
NEMSAC Holds Fourth Meeting in Washington
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hosted the fourth meeting of the National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (NEMSAC) on January 29-30 in Washington, DC.
On the first day of the meeting, the NEMSAC standing committees met to discuss and craft reports for the body as a whole. Each committee, including Safety, Systems, Analysis/Oversight and Research, and Finance, presented their reports during the open afternoon session. Committees have continued to make progress between meetings through conference calls and web-based communication. It is expected that formal adopted recommendations may begin to take shape as soon as the next meeting.
In addition to the committee reports, the group heard presentations from representatives of the National EMS Management Association, the National Fire Academy’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education Program, and an update on the ongoing EMS Workforce Agenda for the Future and the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services. The presentations brought NEMSAC members up-to-speed on the efforts of other EMS groups and created the opportunity for questions and the exchange of ideas.
Ken Knipper, Kentucky Director for the NVFC and member of the NEMSAC, is encouraged by the progress being made. “This meeting further substantiates the commitment of NEMSAC and the NHTSA Office of EMS to make a difference in EMS by providing guidance in all operational and training areas,” Knipper said. “There is no doubt that NEMSAC will meet its charge by providing valuable guidance to NHTSA.”
The NEMSAC is a 26-member panel of EMS experts chosen by the Secretary of Transportation. The group advises the NHTSA Office of EMS on standards, guidelines, benchmarks, and data collection and will also develop a process to assess the needs of pre-hospital care.
The next Washington, DC meeting is tentatively set for June of 2009. For meeting minutes and more information, please visit www.ems.gov.
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