GLAC Current Issues

Washington DC, NTSB EMS helicopter flight safety hearing scheduled for April 22. Hearing will cover HA 1201 (Salzar Bill) and HR 978 (Altmire-Miller Bill).

March 2009

Washington DC, Advocates for EMS release White Paper regarding EMS positions on issues at the federal level impacting EMS providers.

February 2009

Washington DC, National Transportation Safety Board Holds Public Hearings February 3 - 6, 2009, on helicopter emergency medical services. IAFP President, Jim Riley will participate on a panel February 5. IAFP Statement

October 2008

Washington DC, The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced a proposal to make available more than $40 million in grants to help states and territories improve their 9-1-1 call centers. The grants were authorized by the ENHANCE 911 Act.

All states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories are eligible for the grants. Among other things, the funds will be used to implement technologies to deliver wireless 9-1-1 calls with automatic location information.

The joint proposal, published in today’s Federal Register, spells out details of the proposed grant program, including the application and administrative requirements of the proposed rule. The funds will be awarded in fiscal year 2009. Interested parties will have 60 days to comment on the proposal.

Proposed grant regulations

March, 2008

Baltimore MD, Advocates for EMS Hosts the 1st Annual EMS Policy Summit at EMS TODAY. How do policies formed in Washington affect the frontline EMS provider? Learn how first responder grant funding, EMS workforce issues and grant funds at the DHHS among many other policy issues-affect EMS providers throughout the country. Every provider has a unique story to tell their members of Congress and can make a positive impact on the decisions made by lawmakers. Come learn about the process and how you can make a difference and interact with decision makers in Washington. The session will include roundtable discussions with federal agencies and a federal legistlative update. Services invited are: DHS. NHTSA, DHHS, USFA.

Anyone interested in attending this meeting should visit: www.emstodayconference.com Registration available online.

The Greater the participation, the greater the voice, the greater the results for EMS!

February, 2008

Washington DC, IAFP State Delegate and representative, David Stamey, attended the 2-day Stakeholder meeting for the National EMS Education Standards. The objective of the meeting was to obtain national EMS community input and consensus on Draft 2.0 of the National EMS Education Standards. Meeting Minutes will be posted when available.

December, 2007

Washington DC, National Association of State EMS Officials sponsored a stakeholders meeting at NHSA Headquarters in Washington DC, December 17, 2007. IAFP State Delegate and representative, David Stamey, attended the meeting on behalf of the IAFP. The meeting's focus was the implementation of the EMS Education Agenda. Meeting Minutes

Additional Documents: Implementation of the EMS Education Agenda for the Future NASEMSO Survey Results

September 25, 2007

Washington DC, Cornerstone Government Affairs is happy to announce that today, Congressman Charles Boustany (LA) has agreed to become the Republican EMS Caucus Co-Chair! He joins Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) in leading the Caucus. We are excited to get the EMS Caucus rolling. Advocates members will be asked to contact representatives in Congress to join the EMS Caucus. Please stay tuned as more details develop in the coming days.

October 15, 2006

Oklahoma Delegate, Chris Schroeder brought forward a current issue that affects the effectiveness of our Critical Care Teams in HEMS and Ground. Currently, RNs have had privileges revoked that will not allow them to administer RSI medications in the prehospital environment. The IAFP has brought this issue forward to ASTNA and work has begun to help resolve this issue affecting the patient care and the critical care team operations.

December 5, 2006

New Jersey Delegate, Larry Fornicola informed the IAFP of a problem that has plagued the 911 System for all trauma related scene flight requests. The current practice of helicopters over flying closer programs to a location of a scene flight request has created multiple complaints at the State level. Requesting agencies are waiting on scene for extended periods of time waiting for helicopters to respond to provide life saving interventions. The current legislation provides no mechanism to force the State’s Centralized Emergency Communication Center to send the closest helicopter for immediate life saving intervention.

New Jersey Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi (R) and Herb Conaway MD (D) have drafted a bill that would eliminate the current practice of over flying closer helicopter programs. Assembly, No. 3786 states that all helicopter programs in New Jersey will need to abide by the Certificate of Need (CON) and all programs will be required to become CAMTS accredited in order to participate in the CECC dispatching the closest helicopter to the trauma related scene flight request. This potential regulation will only be enforced for scene flights and will not affect the interfacility hospital transports.

The IAFP views this proposed bill as a positive step in the providing patient centered safety operations in HEMS. The IAFP will be supporting this initiative.

Write Your Representative

http://www.congress.org/

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