Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services Meets in Washington, DC

July 12, 2012

Transportation Secretary Announces new National EMS Advisory Council Appointees

On June 25, the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS) met for the first time in 2012. FICEMS was established in 2005 to ensure coordination among Federal agencies involved with EMS and 9-1-1 systems, including the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Communications Commission, and Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Click here to view the meeting agenda. Meeting minutes and materials will be posted at www.EMS.gov once they are approved at the next FICEMS meeting, which will likely be held in December 2012. For more information about FICEMS, contact  Drew Dawson with the NHTSA’s Office of EMS.

Also on June 25, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood announced appointments to the 25-member National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC), which advises NHTSA on all EMS matters and related issues. New Board members are appointed every two years and represent a discipline within the EMS field. The new appointee representing Volunteer EMS is Katrina Altenhofen, MPH, Paramedic. According to a NHTSA press release:

“Ms. Altenhofen is a founding member of the West Chester First Responders in Washington, Iowa and has been a volunteer paramedic since 1989. She is the State Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Director and has worked with the Iowa Bureau of EMS since 1995. Ms. Altenhofen has also initiated several statewide occupant protection and bicycle safety programs.”

Click here to read the full press release, including the names and background information for the 24 other newly-appointed NEMSAC members.