# Letter to Congress for New EMS Administration



## Ridryder911 (Jun 21, 2005)

THis is a letter that EMS Advocates has sent to Congressional Committee. I highly recommend the content & suggest e-mailing you representatives. The time for EMS change is now. I have attached a link to C-span to get your Cngressional leader name & e-maol address.

Respecfully.
Ridryder 911


June 14, 2005 

Dear Conferees: 

The undersigned members of Advocates for EMS, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of issues affecting emergency medical service (EMS) providers, write regarding H.R. 3, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU). 

Section 7218 of the Senate Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA) of 2005 substitute requires the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS). Advocates for EMS strongly supports the creation of the FICEMS. However, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) have introduced S. 611, the Emergency Medical Support Act, that would create FICEMS in addition to creating a 13 member advisory panel consisting of members from the EMS community that would advise and support the FICEMS on emerging EMS issues. A similar version, H.R. 1240, has been introduced in the House by Congressman Joel Hefley (R-CO) and Congressman Tom Allen (D-ME). Advocates for EMS encourages you strike the current SAFETEA language that creates the FICEMS and insert the more inclusive language from the Emergency Medical Services Support Act. The 13 member advisory panel will provide valuable non-federal advice to the coordination of federal EMS programs and will assist in holding the FICEMS accountable in addressing EMS issues in a timely manner. A copy of the bill has been included for your review and consideration. 

In addition, we support the provisions within Section 7218 pertaining to “Coordinated Nationwide Emergency Medical Services Program, “Coordinated State EMS Program” and “Administration of State Programs”. Advocates believes these sections of H.R. 3 are all integral to improved coordination and delivery of EMS. NHTSA has a long and successful history of working well with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security in addition to other agencies in improving the nation’s EMS. 

Finally, we urge inclusion of the State EMS grant program provided in Section 7218 of HR 3. The provision creates a State formula grant program to support coordination of EMS systems development. It is also designed to strengthen transportation safety and public health, consistent with the President’s focus on reinforcing the nation’s emergency preparedness and first response capacity. The program would be administered at State level through State EMS Offices. Section 7212 (a) (5) authorizes $5 million a year for fiscal years 2004 through 2009 for the grant program. 

State Emergency Medical Services Offices, the single point for coordination and regulation of a state’s comprehensive emergency medical services system, are pivotal in assuring an adequate medical response to motor vehicle crashes and other medical emergencies, to reducing mortality and morbidity and to assuring a state of EMS readiness for response to domestic terrorism and other major events. Federal funding for state EMS offices is very limited. Advocates for EMS strongly supports the EMS State formula grant program and request that you retain the provision in the final version of the bill. 

Thank you for your consideration of our recommendations. Should you have questions please contact Lisa Meyer with Cornerstone Government Affairs at (202)448-9500. 

Sincerely, 

American Ambulance Association 
American College of Emergency Physicians 
American College of Surgeons 
American Heart Association 
American Medical Response 
Association of Air Medical Services 
Emergency Nurses Association 
Gold Cross/Mayo Medical Transport 
Medtronic Emergency Response Systems 
National Association of EMS Physicians 
National Association of State EMS Directors 
National Association of State EMS Educators 
Rural Metro Corporation 

 C-Span:  http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/home/


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## TTLWHKR (Jun 21, 2005)

I'd rather stay in the funeral home state, than switch to something made by politicians and corporations that run ambulances. Sounds like someone is gonna get a kick back. Wait and see, all the grants will go to Rural Metro-who by the way steals equipment from other services. I have personally witnessed a RM crew getting their truck ripped apart by the State Police in New York b/c they were caught with equipment that had been reported stolen.


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## Ridryder911 (Jun 21, 2005)

> *I'd rather stay in the funeral home state, than switch to something made by politicians and corporations that run ambulances. *


Do you even know who governs us (EMS) nationally now ?
That is why EMT's, do not have their own organiztion & is considered a "the step-child" system. Please look at the sponsors...
Be safe, 
Ridryder 911


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## TTLWHKR (Jun 21, 2005)

> _Originally posted by ridryder 911_@Jun 21 2005, 03:52 PM
> *
> 
> 
> ...


 I don't give a **** what they do in California... or even New York.. I'm in PA, and I only care what we do in PA. We have EMS grants in PA. I'm happy with that. EMS is a dog eat dog profession. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration used to be in charge of EMS in the United States. Although there has never been, one lone office in charge of all aspects of EMS.

Do I agree that there is a need for one, Yes.

Do I think it should be run by States, NOT BY PENNSYLVANIA.

Do I like being twenty years behind, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF SARCASIM?

Do I think that professional corporations that own large EMS services should be in charge, No.. You can't have the people who want to kill off the volunteers in charge because people will die. More people will die than they do now. People that are 50 miles from an ambulance will be 100 miles away.

There can't be ONE ems for the nation. There has to be an EMS that will work for every part of the nation. EMS in urban areas needs to be stronger and better trained for thier surroundings and populations. EMS in rural areas needs to be much stronger, better equipped, and have more training in the basic levels (as you would find in the Intermediate levels).. and rural areas need more ambulances. People wait too long.

If the Government gives grants to fire for 2,000,000.00 apparatus... They should give grants to EMS for a 150,000.00 Ambulance. 

It was great that PA gave grants to companies that had the money to buy AED's. And gave Free AED's to poorer companies.

and the box of surgical masks that you can buy at walmart were a great gift.. But as for equipment for WMD attacks. 

Duck and Cover or kiss our asses good bye? Didn't you people listen to Burt the Turtle?

Need I go on? No, I can't because I'm dizzy.


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## Stevo (Jun 22, 2005)

heh~ B) 

yeah, those same ems bueracrats will be watching Burt the Turtle 1500 feet below Camp David while we mitigate it TTLWHKR....

_"somebody call mutual aid!"_


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## Jon (Jun 22, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Stevo_@Jun 22 2005, 06:23 AM
> * heh~ B)
> 
> yeah, those same ems bueracrats will be watching Burt the Turtle 1500 feet below Camp David while we mitigate it TTLWHKR....
> ...


 gee.. I'm happy my 8th grade social-studies teacher showed us the old, decaying filmstrip........


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## TTLWHKR (Jun 22, 2005)

My highschool had a huge fall out shelter under the Gymnasium. We stole all kinds of crap when they closed...

I still have a radiation meter, but I sold lots of the medical kits on eBay to some guy from Texas who runs a civil defense museum. Told him we paid hundreds, so he offered even more  :lol: 

Psych!


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## Ridryder911 (Jun 23, 2005)

Really Professional...

Maybe that is why we need an national EMS consortium.

Be safe,
Ridryder 911


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## vtemti (Jun 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by TTLWHKR_@Jun 22 2005, 05:57 PM
> * My highschool had a huge fall out shelter under the Gymnasium. We stole all kinds of crap when they closed...
> 
> I still have a radiation meter, but I sold lots of the medical kits on eBay to some guy from Texas who runs a civil defense museum. Told him we paid hundreds, so he offered even more  :lol:
> ...


 Crap..................That was me!

Psych........   

Really though, I agree with ridryder 911. Look into past history. EMS is fairly new and is still currently the UNDERDOG. Even though we are beginning to climb out of the incubater, we have a long way to go. Fire fighting has been around for years and if the monies available (grants) come down to a decision between fire or EMS, who will win everytime?

For instance, last year our service applied for a $10,000 homeland security grant for the purchase of a new defibrillator. How much did we receive? ($2,000.00). Our FD applied at the same time for a $10,000.00 grant for the purchase of a thermal imaging camera. How much did they receive? (every penny). Also, look at the movie industry, every film based on EMS has been a comedy where as there have been some decent films depicting firefighting.

I am not trying to put the fire services down, but I think the federal government needs a wake up call. A national EMS consortium might be a start.


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## TTLWHKR (Jun 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by ridryder 911_@Jun 23 2005, 09:47 AM
> * Really Professional...
> 
> Maybe that is why we need an national EMS consortium.
> ...


I really don't come here to be professional. I'm sitting in my living room in my boxers with a 50lb cast on my leg, listening to all the action and my wife bragging about the big calls for the shift. This is all I got for the next five months. I spent ten years working my *** off to get where I *was, and being a tip-top professional every shift. Now, all I wanna do is relax. 

Until they can prove to me that there will be a national EMS agency that will act in the best interest of the people we serve, and will be best for every community in the United States - weather it's New York City or some town in Alaska that has never seen an ambulance - then I won't support it... I gave you my opinion, if you don't like it, stick it.











Shift... not ****..


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