Have you ever considered taking an active role in your association? The 2004 Board of Directors election is upon us and we need dedicated critical care transport professionals to step up to the plate and serve on the board. This is your chance to influence the direction that our profession will take.

Serving on the Board of Directors is a very serious task. The only chance the membership has to understand who you are and what you hope to achieve by serving on the board is via the candidate submission form. Most candidates tend to complete the submission as though they were applying for a position as a paramedic (including certifications and classes). The NFPA leadership doesn’t need ACLS instructors. What we need are people who are progressive and passionate about critical care transport and the professional role of the paramedic. Highlight your experience in education, management, administration, marketing, fund raising, information management, publishing, or politics. Apply these skills to your planned contribution to the association.

Candidate submissions must be submitted via e-mail and received by the national office no later than midnight MDT on July 15, 2004. The candidate submission form is available HERE or may be requested via email from the national office. Completed forms must be submitted to [email protected] before the deadline. If you have technical problems completing the Candidate Submission Form, contact the NFPA Office immediately at (801) 266-6372 for assistance. The deadline will not be extended.

In order to make the election process as fair and equitable as possible, the board has adopted the following policies:

1. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Hard copies of the form cannot be formatted for the ballot and will not be accepted.

2. Attachments will not be accepted. Resumes, curriculum vitae, references, etc are not necessary.

3. No submissions will be accepted after the deadline.

4. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

5. OPTIONAL: Attach a 2x2 photo file (jpg OR gif only) of yourself for publication in the FP News and on the website that will accompany your candidate submission. This makes it easier for members to identify your face with your name.

Finally, we encourage all candidates to carefully consider their decision to run. It is a great opportunity to expand your voice in the transport community, but it is not without cost. Serving on the board requires a significant time commitment and mandates travel that the NFPA does not fund. Board members average 4 – 6 hours a week working on association business. Board members are required to attend at least 3 meetings a year at their own expense (AMTC, CCTMC, and the Summer Board Meeting). Members that are entrusted with the vote of their peers owe them responsible and productive participation that is in the best interest of the board and the association.

Thank you for your interest in running and good luck in the election!

Sincerely,

TJ Kennedy BS, EMT-P, FP-C

Immediate Past President

If you have any questions or comments about the election process, please contact any of the current Board of Directors or call the NFPA National Office at (801) 266-NFPA.

THE CANDIDATE SUBMISSION FORMS

Interested parties should download the Candidate Submission Worksheet (MS Word document) and complete as instructed. Upon completion, save the file and email it as an attachment to Patricia Petersen ([email protected]) at the national office. Candidate worksheets must be received by midnight MDT, July 15, 2004.

OPEN POSITIONS:

PRESIDENT-ELECT - must come from the current or immediate past board of directors

SECRETARY/TREASURER - must have previous NFPA board of directors experience

MILITARY LIAISON - open to all NFPA members; the candidate must currently be serving in the military (active duty or Reserve)

BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE (THREE OPENINGS) - open to all NFPA members