EMS Week and Going ‘Beyond the Call’: The Federal Perspective

The first EMS Week was celebrated in 1974, shortly after the creation of the Division of Emergency Treatment and Transfer of the Injured at the National Highway Safety Bureau—the predecessor of today’s Office of EMS in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Since that time, NHTSA has supported national EMS projects that have shaped the profession for more than a generation. In 2019, NHTSA and its federal partners have continued to build on that legacy with the release of EMS Agenda 2050 and the 2019 National EMS Scope of Practice Model and other projects of national significance. In May, communities across the U.S. will once again be celebrating EMS Week. We asked Jon Krohmer, MD, director of the NHTSA Office of EMS, about this year’s EMS Week theme of Beyond the Call, recent national EMS projects and what’s on tap next for NHTSA and its federal EMS partners. Q: What does this year’s EMS Week theme, Beyond the Call, mean to you and to the NHTSA Office of EMS? A: This year is the perfect time to recognize how EMS professionals go beyond the call every day. In the last few years, we’ve seen examples where people have stepped up during natural disasters, dedicated themselves to ensuring their colleagues’ safety and mental health, and creating innovative programs to tackle public health issues from chronic disease to drug overdoses. At NHTSA, we have always relied on EMS professionals across the country who give their time, expertise and insight...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Exclusive Articles Administration and Leadership Source Type: news