# Are you a member of NAEMT?



## Zalan (May 20, 2011)

Are you a member of NAEMT? Is it worth joining?


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## jjesusfreak01 (May 21, 2011)

My rescue squad signed me up without asking and gave me a card...


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## RanchoEMT (May 24, 2011)

Was discussion going to occur on What this is and Why we should join, or not?


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## JPINFV (May 24, 2011)

I'm a member of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine's Resident and Student Association, which alines more with my interests than NAEMT.

Why should you join (any professional organization)?

The goal of a professional/trade organization (which NAEMT is for EMS, regardless of the quality of the program) is to organize and advocate for the field as a whole. Be it through spreading information and news to advocating at the state and national level for you. When it comes to issues like education requirements, reimbursements, etc, these are the organizations that are going to be involved. When it comes to advocating expanding what a profession does, that's what these organizations are for. When it's time to protect your proverbial turf (what would happen if someone founded an alternative system for certifying EMTs? That's essentially what's happening with board certifications when it comes to American Board of Emergency Medicine certification (which requires emergency medicine residency training for EM) vs American Association of Physician Specialists (an offshoot which is including a practice track for their certification).

The government isn't going to listen to individuals.
The government isn't going to listen to a dozen or so different unions.
Professional/trade associations like this, which has a valid claim to be representative of their constituents, does have a place at the table. 

Now, the question is, "Is NAEMT advocating for what you want and is it powerful enough to accomplish those goals?"
Additionally, you have to ask, "If those aren't the case and I don't become involved, will it ever change?" 

I'll leave an assessment of NAEMT alone up to someone more knowledgeable about NAEMT specifically.


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## sop (Jun 24, 2011)

I just joined today. I'm testing the water.


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## SFox3325 (Jul 22, 2011)

I'm a member, and I like it.  They help me keep up to date on what's going on with any changes in training, or laws.  The training classes they provide are really good.  I am really happy about the EMS Safety course, and are members get discounts on different products, like we have a special deal, and login site for 5.11 Tactical on all there gear.  For me, it works, and I like it.  Stay safe everyone


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## AJ Hidell (Jul 22, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> I'll leave an assessment of NAEMT alone up to someone more knowledgeable about NAEMT specifically.


I was a member for many years, til the mid 90s.  I was active, going to meetings, and participating in early development of programs like PHTLS.  I gave up on them.  They do NOTHING to accomplish any of the goals you mention.  In fact, they stand in the way of a lot of progress in EMS with their special interest politics.

No.  They do not have any potential to ever improve, even with new leadership.

They do offer good educational programs (like PHTLS and the annual convention), but only because they make big money off of them.


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## bigbaldguy (Jul 22, 2011)

NAEMT does not seem to be a terribly effective organization from the research I've done on it but they are pretty much the only game in town. They do have some decent bennies and it doesn't cost much to join. They do try to improve working conditions for EMS folks and have been successful to a limited degree. If I were a paid EMT I would definitely join so as to have a voice in the future of my career. As more people join it will become more powerful and more effective in shaping the future of EMS. My question would be why not join? The cost is nominal and you do get something back for the yearly fee. I think a lot of medics seem to have a "well I'm not going to do this forever" attitude so they think why bother trying to change the industry as I'll be moving onto something else eventually. The problem is I've worked with quite a few medics who have been planning to "move on to something else" for 15+ years.


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## Iceman26 (Jul 22, 2011)

AJ Hidell said:


> I was a member for many years, til the mid 90s.  I was active, going to meetings, and participating in early development of programs like PHTLS.  I gave up on them.  They do NOTHING to accomplish any of the goals you mention.  In fact, they stand in the way of a lot of progress in EMS with their special interest politics.
> 
> No.  They do not have any potential to ever improve, even with new leadership.
> 
> They do offer good educational programs (like PHTLS and the annual convention), but only because they make big money off of them.




Agreed on the educational programs. In medic school we did PHTLS, AMLS, and EPC and I found all three to be pretty good.


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## m0nster986 (Jul 22, 2011)

Only about 5% of EMS workers are part of NAEMT. EMS is still fairly new and it takes patience just like everything else in life before things begin to get better.


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## DrParasite (Jul 22, 2011)

m0nster986 said:


> EMS is still fairly new and it takes patience just like everything else in life before things begin to get better.


is it really?  

Ambulances have been around since around 1487, used primarily in the military.  In civilian life, they have existed in London since around 1832.

Hospital based ambulance services?   Commercial Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio (now the Cincinnati General) started running and ambulance service/EMS in 1865.

ALS as we know it has been around for more than 30 years (closer to 50 depending on where you look)

so please explain to me how EMS is still fairly new????  when can we finally lose the fairly new label?  is existing for 524 years enough for us to be considered no longer fairly new???  

and before someone says it's not moderns EMS, I agree, but firefighting, medicine, nursing, construction, and even fields like the military have changed drastically even just in the past 50 years.

Apologies for the hijack, but the we are a new field is a really old and tired (and inaccurate) excuse


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## sir.shocksalot (Jul 22, 2011)

Zalan said:


> Are you a member of NAEMT? Is it worth joining?



Yes I am. However NAEMT isn't a very powerful group. They often ride the fence spouting gibberish that scarcely touches the subject of what their stance is about. Their stances can be summarized thusly, EMS is good and necissary, and should take good care of patients.

However, I will say I just saved more money from 511 than I spent on my membership. Thank you NAEMT 25% discount.

Just don't expect any ground breaking changes in EMS to be the result of NAEMT.


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## bigbaldguy (Jul 22, 2011)

DrParasite said:


> is it really?
> 
> Ambulances have been around since around 1487, used primarily in the military.  In civilian life, they have existed in London since around 1832.
> 
> ...



EMS as a true profession that is respected as a standalone occupation that needs to be done by trained motivated individuals and is viewed by the public as a necessary part of civil service is indeed new. Fire fighters have had this distinction for over 75 years, airline pilots for 60 years, nurses for 50 years, EMS has only gotten on the map since the advent of 911 and it is still a profession that is lumped in with fire. Were there EMS professionals 200 years ago, sure you could make that argument. If you walked up to the average citizen at that time and asked them if they were necessary they probably would have laughed at you.


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## AJ Hidell (Jul 22, 2011)

sir.shocksalot said:


> ...NAEMT isn't a very powerful group. They often ride the fence spouting gibberish that scarcely touches the subject of what their stance is about. Their stances can be summarized thusly, EMS is good and necissary, and should take good care of patients.


Bingo.  It's not a "bad" organisation, and I don't oppose them.  As JPINFV said, those are all goals that all professionals should organise to strive for.  It is just my proven observation that NAEMT, as structured, has no potential to ever achieve any of that.  They do not fight for the advancement of EMS as a profession.  They ride the fence in a retarded attempt to sing kum-by-ya with the very special-interest forces that are fighting against advancement of EMS.  In addition to fighting us with their own organisations (which we are not allowed to join), they fight us from within our own association.

As for doing the profession any good, your money is wasted at NAEMT.  But if the personal benefits are worth it to you, go for it.


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## reaper (Jul 23, 2011)

Wow, You are still around AJ? Thought you dropped off the earth! haha

Save your money for better things. NAEMT is not worth it!


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## Sasha (Jul 23, 2011)

I brought AJ back last week


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## bigbaldguy (Jul 23, 2011)

Sasha said:


> I brought AJ back last week



Now that Sasha is back everybody is flooding back in


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