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Member Advisory: MedPac to Discuss Ground Ambulance Data

Written by Kathy Lester on . Posted in Cost Data Collection, Member Advisories, News.

On Thursday, March 6, the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) will hold the first of several Commission discussions related to the statutorily mandated report to review ground ambulance payment policy in light of the Ground Ambulance Data Collection System. The AAA has already met with MedPAC staff and will also provide a summary of the meeting. Given that CMS will likely publish the second data collection period report at the end of 2025, we anticipate that the MedPAC report will be published in its June 2026 report.
The MedPAC process involves a series of public meetings during which staff present materials to Commissioners. The Commissioners often ask questions and express opinions during this process. It is important to recognize that the Chair of MedPAC seeks to ensure consensus as much as possible in the final report. Thus, many of the comments made during public meetings are not included in final reports.
The AAA will continue its work with MedPAC as it works to develop the report.

2025 EMSNext Recipients Announced

Written by Samantha Hilker on . Posted in 40 Under 40, Awards, News.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Samantha Hilker
Sr. Director of Strategic Initiatives
shilker@ambulance.org

American Ambulance Association Announces 2025 EMSNext Winners

Washington, D.C. – The American Ambulance Association (AAA) is proud to recognize its third annual class of EMSNext honorees. EMSNext is a groundbreaking initiative that spotlights emerging emergency medical services (EMS) leaders and offers them leadership development, structured mentorship, and collaborative networking opportunities throughout the year. These 16 outstanding individuals from 10 states join a growing network of 54 EMSNext program alumni poised to assume prominent leadership roles in the profession.

“We are incredibly proud to welcome the 2025 class of EMSNext,” said AAA President Jamie Pafford-Gresham. “Their passion, dedication, and leadership inspire us all and promise a brighter, more resilient future for EMS. Together, they will stand at the forefront of mobile healthcare excellence for patients across the nation—now and in the future.”

  • Oluwafemi “Daniel” Adebisi | Commercial Project Manager, Falck USA | California
  • Nancy Chustz | Communications Operations Manager, Acadian Ambulance Service | Louisiana
  • Rebekah Cummings | Operations Coordinator, Acadian Ambulance Service | Louisiana
  • Cassandra Ewig-Bruss | Scheduling Coordinator, Bell Ambulance | Wisconsin
  • Ryan Felshaw |  Operations Manager, MedicWest Ambulance | Nevada
  • Damian Gonzales | Deputy Director of Operations, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (MEDIC) | North Carolina
  • Gavin James Hall | Education & Quality Manager, Pafford Emergency Medical Services, Inc. | Louisiana
  • William Hardy | Critical Care Paramedic, American Medical Response | Tennessee
  • Matthew Herman | Data Analyst, Costal Medical Transportation Services | Massachusetts
  • Michael Kaduce | Director, Falck Health Institute | California
  • Matthew Lewis | EMT Supervisor, Bell Ambulance | Wisconsin
  • Amanda McQuistian | Operations Director, Lifecare Medical Transport | Virginia
  • Shane Ryan | Administrative Operations Manager, Falck | California
  • Maeve Shannahan | Emergency Medical Technician, Grady Emergency Medical Services | Georgia
  • Heather Stenbroten | Administrative Director, Gold Cross Ambulance Service, Inc. | Wisconsin
  • Heather Zimmerman | CFO & HR Manager, Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC & Aetna Ambulance Service, Inc.| Connecticut

2025 EMSNext honorees receive complimentary registration to the American Ambulance Association Annual Conference & Trade Show in Lexington, KY June 22-24. They will be recognized at the conference’s opening keynote address on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in addition to participating in a collaborative workshop focused on solving the biggest challenges in out-of-hospital care.

“The EMSNext program is an investment in the future of our profession,” adds Pafford-Gresham. “By fostering leadership and innovation, we are strengthening EMS from the ground up, ensuring our communities continue to receive the highest quality emergency medical care.”

About the American Ambulance Association

The American Ambulance Association safeguards the future of mobile healthcare through advocacy, thought leadership, and education. AAA advances sustainable EMS policy, empowering its members to serve their communities with high-quality on-demand healthcare. For more than 40 years, AAA has proudly represented those who care for people first.

Congress Extends Medicare Ambulance Add-On Payments

Written by Tristan North on . Posted in Medicare, Member Advisories, News, Reimbursement.

On Saturday, December 21, the American Relief Act of 2025 (H.R. 10545) became law and thereby averted a partial federal government shutdown. Of critical importance to ground ambulance service organizations, H.R. 10545 also extends the temporary Medicare ambulance add-on payments of 2% urban, 3% rural and 22.6% super rural through March 31, 2025. In addition, the new law wipes clean the PAYGO scorecard preventing a potential 4% cut in Medicare reimbursement for ground ambulance and other Medicare services.

The House of Representatives passed by a vote of 366 to 34 the Continuing Resolution (H.R. 10545) to extend funding for the federal government just hours before reaching the previous funding deadline of midnight on December 20th. The Senate then passed H.R. 10545 by a vote of 85 to 11 late that evening. The CR funds the federal government primarily at current funding levels through March 14, 2025.

The negotiations on the American Relief Act were extremely tense with a more robust initial legislative package, which would have extended the Medicare ambulance add-ons for two years, being replaced with a slimmer bill with fewer and shorter health care provisions. The extension of ground ambulance service payments ended up being just one of twenty-five provisions in the final 118-page Continuing Resolution, which was originally over 1,600 pages.

The AAA greatly appreciates the advocacy of our champions and supporters on Capitol Hill to ensure that the temporary ambulance payments extension was included in the final CR. We also want to thank our AAA members for reaching out to their members of Congress to request their help with the add-on payments. We will continue to push for a longer extension of the ambulance payments at percentages higher than the current levels upon the expiration of the CR. 

OSHA’s Emergency Response Rulemaking Update

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News.

The OSHA Emergency Response Team shared an update on the Emergency Response Rulemaking Process on Friday, December 6, 2024. The update can be read below.

AAA President, Randy Strozyk, provided vital testimony during the public hearing process. We will continue to monitor the progress and share updates as they are available.

***

Everyone here at OSHA would like to thank all of the people who participated in the Emergency Response public hearing, which ended on December 4. Your testimony has provided OSHA with valuable insights and points of view that will be critical in helping us continue through the rulemaking process.

Finalizing the daily hearing transcripts is underway, and we anticipate that they will be uploaded to Regulations.gov in the coming weeks, following review and approval by the Chief Administrative Law Judge.

In the meantime, the docket is open for submission of post-hearing comments at Regulations.gov. OSHA welcomes and encourages any additional comments, information and data from hearing participants and members of the public, which can be submitted until docket closure on January 17, 2025.

Rural Health Grants Available | Technical Assistance Webinar December 11

Written by Samantha Hilker on . Posted in Community, News.

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December 6, 2024

 

New Funding Available for Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program

Apply by January 27, 2025

The Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program (Outreach) is open and accepting applications for the program’s 4-year period of performance (May 1, 2025-April 30, 2029).  HRSA will make up to 50 awards to support rural communities to expand the delivery of health care services. These awards include:

  • An estimated 40 awards, each up to $250,000 per year, under the program’s regular track to support healthcare needs identified by the rural community applicant;
  • Up to 10 awards, each up to $300,000 per year, under the program’s special track to address the underlying factors that drive rural health disparities related to heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury/substance use, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, and maternal health.

Eligible applicants include all domestic public and private, nonprofit, and for-profit entities with demonstrated experience serving, or the capacity to serve, rural underserved populations.  Applicants are also required to propose projects that serve exclusively HRSA-designated rural areas and be a part of a network comprised of three or more organizations with at least two-thirds or 66% percent network organizations physically located in a HRSA-designated rural area.

Successful Outreach Program awardees will: 1) expand the delivery of health care services to include new and enhanced services exclusively in rural communities; 2) use innovative, evidence-based and promising practice models to inform their approach to addressing needs specific to their community; 3) demonstrate health outcomes;  and 4) plan for sustainability after grant funding ends.

A technical assistance webinar via Zoom will be held for applicants on Wednesday, Dec 11 at 2:00 pm Eastern.   

Examples of previously funded projects under this program are available at this link.  Applicants may also benefit from the availability of Evidence-Based Toolkits for Rural Community Health which are informed by previous program investments by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Rural Health Information Hub.

For more information about this funding opportunity, contact the Program Coordinator, Mew Pongsiri, at RuralOutreachProgram@hrsa.gov.

 

Helpful links

Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov

Profiles of current and past Outreach Program grantees

Evidence-Based Toolkits for Rural Community Health

News Release | EMS Heroes Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in AAA HQ, News, Press, Stars of Life.

November 14, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Riordan
703-615-4492
ariordan@ambulance.org

EMS Heroes Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Washington, DC—This week, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) recognized extraordinary EMS professionals during the annual Stars of Life celebration. 143 individuals from across the United States were honored as the 2024 Stars at the November 11–13 event.

Stars of Life pays tribute to the dedication of these hometown heroes while shining light on the critical role EMS plays in our healthcare safety net. During their time in our nation’s capital, the Stars received medallions and awards in thanks for their lifesaving and life-sustaining service. The Stars, accompanied by their families and executive hosts, met with members of Congress and congressional aides to discuss policy issues critical to emergency medical services. In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, special recognition was afforded to Stars with a military or reserves background.

In addition to the Stars, Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington were recognized as Legislators of the Year, and 9 United States Senators and 16 Representatives received Legislative Recognition Awards for their support of mobile healthcare. Retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan was honored with the inaugural EMS Legacy Award.

American Ambulance Association President Randy Strozyk noted that, “EMS professionals work around-the-clock to deliver out-of-hospital care when it is needed most.” He continued, “We honor this year’s Stars of Life and thank them for their tireless service to local communities across the nation.”

This year’s distinguished Stars of Life honorees are:

Frank Alba, Critical Care Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Kansas City, KS)
Johan Alvarado, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
Aubree Arneson, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Cal-Ore Life Flight (Brookings, OR)
Adam Aronberg, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Norwalk, NY)
Glenn Arremony, Operations Manager, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Lisbon, CT)
Robyn Asher, Training Administrator & Quality Assurance Manager, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Krystal Barboza, Community Outreach Coordinator, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Keone Bareng, Paramedic Supervisor, Life EMS Ambulance (West Olive, MI)
Henry Barsh, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Philadelphia, DC)
John Basile, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Highland, IN)
Jason Baum, Paramedic Supervisor, Falck – San Diego (Escondido, CA)
Alec Belau, Field Training Officer, Paramedic, Maricopa Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Scottsdale, TN)
Antoine Berenger, Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician, Rural Metro Fire (Gilbert, AZ)
Samantha Blackwell, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (Converse, LA)
Cornelius Brady, Chief Strategy Officer, VMSC Emergency Medical Services (Lansdale, PA)
Spencer Brittain, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Life EMS  (Enid, OK)
Gregg Bulman, Paramedic , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Dorchester, WI)
Jade Calvin, Critical Care Paramedic, Bell Ambulance, Inc. (Waukesha, WI)
Jeremiah Capps, Operations Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Converse, TX)
Josh Cavaness, Flight Paramedic, EagleMed/Med-Trans Corp. (Chanute, KS)
Emily Chandler, EMS Programs Manager & Program Director, NCTI of Massachusetts, American Medical Response (Duxbury, MA)
Cassandra Clark, Paramedic Supervisor, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Vancouver , OR)
Eric Constantine, Operations Manager – Sonoma County, Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Santa Rosa, CA)
Jason Cooke, Vice President of Operations, Medshore Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington, SC)
Bernard Cote, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Rescue Inc. (Newfane, VT)
Janiece Cox, Critical Care Paramedic/911 Contract Manager, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Valparaiso, IN)
Brandi Crist, Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (Bigelow, AR)
Andrew Davalos, Paramedic , American Medical Response (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Dwight Derby, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Life Systems, Inc. (Selah, WA)
Michael Dobrosky, Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Genoa, OH)
Dianna Drake, Emergency Medical Technician & Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Meriden, CT)
Nate Dutt, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND)
Amie Ebarb, Emergency Medical Technician, Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service (Ardmore, OK)
Riggs Egolf, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Hampton, VA)
Yahya Elshawarbi, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck USA (Hayward, CA)
Steve Emery, Emergency Medical Technician, Seals Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Indianapolis, IN)
Aidan Enders, Paramedic Chief Supervisor, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Delanson, NY)
Juvencio Estrada, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
William Fisher, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Walnut Ridge, MO)
Jason Florance, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Overbrook, KS)
Eric Foell, Training Officer, Regional Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tinmouth, VT)
Robert Ford, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeNet Inc. – Oklahoma (Stillwater, OK)
Josh Frierson, Operations Manager, Lifenet, Inc – Texas (Wake Village, TX)
Jorge Garcia, Emergency Medical Technician, Umpqua Valley Ambulance (Roseburg, OR)
Hope Garrison, Operations Manager, LifeNet, Inc. – Arkansas (Royal, AR)
Craig Gesterling, Shift Commander & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (St Petersburg, SD)
Taylor Gibson, Assistant Supervisor – Emergency Communications, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Rochester , MN)
Jacob Gilmore, Emergency Medical Technician, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Burnt Hills, NY)
Wayne Gooding, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Jackson, MI)
Jessup Grogan, Sergeant & Emergency Medical Technician, Metropolitan EMS (Little Rock, AR)
Kenneth Guzman, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Farmingville, NY)
Diamond Hall, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Oak Park, IL)
Morgan Halliburton, Emergency Medical Technician, ProMed Ambulance (Maynard, AR)
Scotland Hamlin, Field Training Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Orlando, FL)
Kayleen Harding, Emergency Medical Technician, Frontier Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Fort Washakie, WY)
Josh Harrington, Assistant Supervisor & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (Tampa, FL)
John Hathaway, Emergency Medical Technician, Spirit Medical Transport, LLC (Greenville, OH)
Robert Hatzikonstantis, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service ( Arlington, MA)
William Hehn, Jr., Air Communications Specialist, REMSA Health (Reno, NV)
Jason Henry, Fire Captain Paramedic, Rural Metro Fire (Mesa, AZ)
Kylend Hetherington, Paramedic, Medstar Ambulance (Auburn, MI)
Jon Hibbard, Paramedic Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tuftonboro, MA)
Timothy Hinchcliff, Managing Director, Burholme Emergency Medical Services (Philadelphia, PA)
Jason Hodges, Operations Supervisor, Honor Guard Commander, American Medical Response (Wilsonville, OR)
Royce Hsiung, EMT-IV Tech, Lakes Region EMS (North Branch, MN)
Alan Hughry, Paramedic , Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Vallejo, CA)
Kristen Hunter, Emergency Medical Technician Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Southboro, MA)
Heather James, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician , American Medical Response (Lagrange, GA)
Lillie Jamison, Supervisor and Compliance Specialist, Baptist Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nesbit, TN)
Steve Jaskot, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Chelsea, MI)
Brian Keith, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (Oshkosh, WI)
David Kingdon, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Wailuku, HI)
Alissa Krisher, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (New London, WI)
Daniel Laguna, Area Float Pilot, REACH (North Salt Lake, UT)
Matthew Lambert, Paramedic, Lifeguard Ambulance Service (Florence, AL)
Carla Landrum, Field Training Officer, Puckett EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Buchanan, GA)
Miki Leslie, Emergency Medical Technician, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (White Swan, WA)
William Loftus-Rooney, Emergency Medical Technician, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Holyoke , MA)
George Lombardo, EMS Training & Safety Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Kirby, TX)
Patti Ludvig McCartney, Integrated Care Paramedic, Life EMS Ambulance (Portage, MI)
Eric Lumpkin, Dispatch Supervisor – Quality Assurance & Training, Central EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Dacula, GA)
Don Marr, Paramedic, Bay Cities Ambulance (Coos Bay, OR)
James Martin, Critical Care Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Tulsa, OK)
Maurice Matthews, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Michigan (Berkley, MI)
Amanda McQuistian, Director Of Operations, LifeCare Medical Transports, Priority Ambulance (Fredericksburg, VA)
Alyssa Meier, Emergency Medical Technician, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott, AZ)
Eli Melamed, Paramedic, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott Valley, AZ)
Shelly Miller, Revenue Cycle Manager, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Concord, NC)
Loren Mitchell, Operations Supervisor , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Waterloo , WI)
Michael Mitchell, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Yorkville, IL)
Kevin Moore, Paramedic, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Newburyport, MA)
Amber Munch, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Scott Munoz, Critical Care Paramedic, Missoula Emergency Services (Frenchtown, MT)
Adam Mysona, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck – Colorado (Lakewood, CO)
Philip Neff, Field Training Officer, Falck – Southern California (La Palma, CA)
Shellaine Novak, Clinical Services Director, PatientCare EMS (Sioux Falls, SD)
Stacy Omdahl, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeCare EMS (Roseau, MN)
Megan Overbeck, Paramedic, Abbott EMS (Decatur, IL)
Michael Penna, Critical Care Transport Registered Nurse, American Medical Response (Grand Terrace, CA)
Jon Jakob Peterson, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND) (POSTHUMOUS)
Lori Peterson, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Medstar Ambulance (Shelby Twp, MI)
Emily Robillard, Emergency Communications Officer , East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (New Roads, LA)
Kevin Rochford, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Temple, TX)
Brian Rogers, Advanced Scope Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Ontario, OH)
Daniel Schaefer, Chief of Operations, Metro-Area Ambulance Service (Mandan , ND)
Madison Schatzer, Paramedic, McClain-Grady County EMS (Moore, OK)
Mark Schiltz, Emergency Medical Technician, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Caledonia, WI)
Ryan Schott, Field Training Officer, Paramedic Crew Chief, & Tactical Paramedic, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Joe Scott, Paramedic Shift Leader, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Warrenton , OR)
Allison Sharp, Paramedic, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Faith Shuff, Paramedic Field Supervisor, National EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oxford, TN)
Nicole Silver, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Staten Island, NY)
Dale Simmons, EMS Program Administrator, Mercy Ambulance Service, Inc. (Savannah, GA)
Lance Smeal, Field Training Officer, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Lockport, NY)
Chad Smith, Director of Operation Support, Kunkel Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Mohawk, TN)
Robin Smith, Training Administrator, First Call Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nashville, TN)
Thomas Smith, Communications Manager, EMSA (Tulsa, OK)
Raquel Soto, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Newington, CT)
Jason Southard, Operations Supervisor, American Medical Response (Tucson, AZ)
Allen Steele, Emergency Medical Technician, Guardian Ambulance Service, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington, SC)
Savannah Steele Welch, Field Supervisor, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (West Monroe, LA)
Ambrose Stevens, Operations Manager, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Redding, CA) (POSTHUMOUS)
Dalton Stewart, Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Boyle, MS)
Sam Swanson, Paramedic, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Jessicah Sweet, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Monticello Ambulance Service (Star City, AR)
Sam Sye, Fleet Service Manager , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Mindoro, WI)
Keri Taylor, Health Information Management Coordinator, EMSA (Oklahoma City, OK)
Nikki Taylor, Captain, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (North Little Rock, AR)
Heather Teague, Paramedic Crew Chief, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Shane Terry, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Snyder, TX)
Chris Thomason, Paramedic, ProMed Ambulance (El Dorado, AR)
Cynthia Torkelson, Paramedic, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Monona, WI)
Richelle Treece, Paramedic, REACT EMS (Shawnee, OK)
David Trimberger, Paramedic Field Training Officer, Pafford EMS (Edmond, OK)
Cheryl VanSeters, Control Center Trainer, Life EMS Ambulance (Grand Rapids, MI)
Andrew Clei Varela, Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Keyes , CA)
Lucie Walters, Flight Respiratory Therapist, AirMed International (Foley, AL)
Nicole Warren, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Osceola, MO)
Andrew Watson, Paramedic & Clinical Services Specialist, EMSA (Norman, OK)
Paul Winter, Paramedic – Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Shelton, CT)
Amy Wollenburg, Paramedic, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Austin, MN)
Haywad Yusufzai, EMT & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service (Arlington, MA)
Ronnie Zermeno, Paramedic Supervisor, Pafford EMS (Sherwood, AR)

 

# # #

About The American Ambulance Association

Caring for People—First.

The American Ambulance Association safeguards the future of mobile healthcare through advocacy, thought leadership, and education. AAA advances sustainable EMS policy, empowering our members to serve their communities with high-quality on-demand healthcare. For more than 40 years, we have proudly represented those who care for people first.

CMS National Rural Health Day Webinar

Written by Samantha Hilker on . Posted in News.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Rural Health Email Header

Register now for our upcoming National Rural Health Day webinar

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) invites you to celebrate National Rural Health Day on November 19 at 2 p.m. ET with a webinar highlighting the latest resources from CMS including reports and information on rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities. We’ll also get to feature the work of a 2024 CMS Health Equity Awardee Augusta Health to improve health equity within the Shenandoah Valley.

When: November 19 from 2 – 3 pm ET

Where: Virtual webinar, please register

Registration:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8e5JeFaiTfOH8sWvPKwsiQ#/registration

We’re proud to have recognized Augusta Health as a 2024 CMS Health Equity Award winner for their work in helping to improve health care access in rural communities. Augusta Health is a non-profit, independent hospital serving communities of the Shenandoah Valley in Virgina. Since its launch in 2022, their Primary Care Mobile Clinic program has grown to 14 different sites every month including community centers, churches, fire houses, the mayor’s office, and homeless shelters. In one year, the program provided over 1,700 primary care visits for 825 patients at 17 different sites. Augusta Health’s Primary Care Mobile Clinic program illustrates the impact of community-driven interventions in addressing health disparities.

Click here to register.

Paid for by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

2024 AAA Legislative Awards

Written by Meghan Winesett on . Posted in Awards, Legislative, Legislative Awards, News, Press, Stars of Life.

The American Ambulance Association is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 AAA Legislative Awards. Each Member of Congress is being recognized for their strong advocacy for emergency medical services and their ongoing dedication to ambulance services across the United States. In addition to our two Legislator of the Year Awards and 25 Legislative Recognition Awards, the American Ambulance Association has named their first-ever EMS Legacy Award Winner. This award is reserved for a Members of Congress who made a substantial impact on the EMS industry during their tenure in the U.S. Congress.

2024 EMS Legacy Award

Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI)

2024 AAA Legislators of the Year

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-3)
Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-1)

2024 AAA Legislative Recognition Award Recipients

Senators

  • Senator Jon Tester (MT)
  • Senator Katherine Cortez Masto (NV)
  • Senator Susan Collins (ME)
  • Senator Bill Cassidy (LA)
  • Senator Patty Murray (WA)
  • Senator Jerry Moran (KS)
  • Senator John Boozman (AR)
  • Senator Shelley Moore Capito (WV)
  • Senator Peter Welch (VT)

Representatives

  • Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7)
  • Congressman Brad Wenstrup (OH-2)
  • Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-1)
  • Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20)
  • Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-3)
  • Congressman Ryan Zinke (MT-1)
  • Congressman Michael Guest (MS-3)
  • Congressman Michael Bost (IL-12)
  • Congresswoman Carol Miller (WV-1)
  • Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13)
  • Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16)
  • Congressman Kelly Armstrong (ND- At Large)
  • Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5)
  • Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-37)
  • Congressman Mike Carey (OH-15)
  • Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT- At Large)

 

SBA Informational Session on OSHA Emergency Response Rule

Written by Scott Moore on . Posted in Human Resources, News.

As many of you are aware, OSHA has published the NPRM titled the Emergency Response Rule. This rule will have substantial impacts on EMS and Fire Emergency Service Organizations should all of the provisions be finalized.  OSHA will be hearing public testimony from stakeholders starting on November 12, 2024. The deadline to submit to testify has passed but it is important that any stakeholder group that will be testifying attend this free informational session being hosted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) on October 31, 2024 at 2:00E. A representative from OSHA will provide some information about the structure and format of the hearing.

RSVP with SBA

News Release | EMS Heroes To Be Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in AAA HQ, News, Press, Stars of Life.

October 24, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Riordan
703-615-4492
ariordan@ambulance.org

EMS Heroes To Be Honored in Washington, DC as 2024 Stars of Life

Washington, DC—This November, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) will recognize extraordinary EMS professionals during the annual Stars of Life celebration. 143 individuals from across the United States will be honored as the 2024 Stars at the November 11–13 event.

Stars of Life pays tribute to the dedication of these hometown heroes while shining light on the critical role EMS plays in our healthcare safety net. During their time in our nation’s capital, the Stars will receive medallions and awards in thanks for their lifesaving and life-sustaining service. The Stars, accompanied by their families and executive hosts, will also meet with members of Congress and congressional aides to discuss policy issues critical to emergency medical services. In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, special recognition will be afforded to Stars with a military or reserves background.

In addition to the Stars, Representative Brad Finstad of Minnesota and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington will be recognized as Legislators of the Year, and 9 United States Senators and 16 US Representatives will receive Legislative Recognition Awards for their support of mobile healthcare. Retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan will also be honored with the inaugural EMS Legacy Award.

American Ambulance Association President Randy Strozyk noted that, “EMS professionals work around-the-clock to deliver out-of-hospital care when it is needed most.” He continued, “We honor this year’s Stars of Life and thank them for their tireless service to local communities across the nation.”

This year’s distinguished Stars of Life honorees are:

Frank Alba, Critical Care Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Kansas City, KS)
Johan Alvarado, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
Aubree Arneson, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Cal-Ore Life Flight (Brookings, OR)
Adam Aronberg, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Norwalk, NY)
Glenn Arremony, Operations Manager, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Lisbon, CT)
Robyn Asher, Training Administrator & Quality Assurance Manager, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Krystal Barboza, Community Outreach Coordinator, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Keone Bareng, Paramedic Supervisor, Life EMS Ambulance (West Olive, MI)
Henry Barsh, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Philadelphia, DC)
John Basile, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Highland, IN)
Jason Baum, Paramedic Supervisor, Falck – San Diego (Escondido, CA)
Alec Belau, Field Training Officer, Paramedic, Maricopa Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Scottsdale, TN)
Antoine Berenger, Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician, Rural Metro Fire (Gilbert, AZ)
Samantha Blackwell, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (Converse, LA)
Cornelius Brady, Chief Strategy Officer, VMSC Emergency Medical Services (Lansdale, PA)
Spencer Brittain, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Life EMS  (Enid, OK)
Gregg Bulman, Paramedic , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Dorchester, WI)
Jade Calvin, Critical Care Paramedic, Bell Ambulance, Inc. (Waukesha, WI)
Jeremiah Capps, Operations Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Converse, TX)
Josh Cavaness, Flight Paramedic, EagleMed/Med-Trans Corp. (Chanute, KS)
Emily Chandler, EMS Programs Manager & Program Director, NCTI of Massachusetts, American Medical Response (Duxbury, MA)
Cassandra Clark, Paramedic Supervisor, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Vancouver , OR)
Eric Constantine, Operations Manager – Sonoma County, Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Santa Rosa, CA)
Jason Cooke, Vice President of Operations, Medshore Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington , SC)
Bernard Cote, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Rescue Inc. (Newfane, VT)
Janiece Cox, Critical Care Paramedic/911 Contract Manager, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Indiana (Valparaiso, IN)
Brandi Crist, Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (Bigelow, AR)
Andrew Davalos, Paramedic , American Medical Response (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Dwight Derby, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Life Systems, Inc. (Selah, WA)
Michael Dobrosky, Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Genoa, OH)
Dianna Drake, Emergency Medical Technician & Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Meriden, CT)
Nate Dutt, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND)
Amie Ebarb, Emergency Medical Technician, Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service (Ardmore, OK)
Riggs Egolf, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Hampton, VA)
Yahya Elshawarbi, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck USA (Hayward, CA)
Steve Emery, Emergency Medical Technician, Seals Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Indianapolis, IN)
Aidan Enders, Paramedic Chief Supervisor, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Delanson, NY)
Juvencio Estrada, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Laredo, TX)
William Fisher, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Walnut Ridge, MO)
Jason Florance, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Overbrook, KS)
Eric Foell, Training Officer, Regional Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tinmouth, VT)
Robert Ford, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeNet Inc. – Oklahoma (Stillwater, OK)
Josh Frierson, Operations Manager, Lifenet, Inc – Texas (Wake Village, TX)
Jorge Garcia, Emergency Medical Technician, Umpqua Valley Ambulance (Roseburg, OR)
Hope Garrison, Operations Manager, LifeNet, Inc. – Arkansas (Royal, AR)
Craig Gesterling, Shift Commander & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (St Petersburg, SD)
Taylor Gibson, Assistant Supervisor – Emergency Communications, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Rochester , MN)
Jacob Gilmore, Emergency Medical Technician, Mohawk Ambulance Service (Burnt Hills, NY)
Wayne Gooding, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Jackson, MI)
Jessup Grogan, Sergeant & Emergency Medical Technician, Metropolitan EMS (Little Rock, AR)
Kenneth Guzman, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Farmingville, NY)
Diamond Hall, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Oak Park, IL)
Morgan Halliburton, Emergency Medical Technician, ProMed Ambulance (Maynard, AR)
Scotland Hamlin, Field Training Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Orlando, FL)
Kayleen Harding, Emergency Medical Technician, Frontier Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Fort Washakie, WY)
Josh Harrington, Assistant Supervisor & Paramedic , Sunstar Paramedics (Tampa, FL)
John Hathaway, Emergency Medical Technician, Spirit Medical Transport, LLC (Greenville, OH)
Robert Hatzikonstantis, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service ( Arlington, MA)
William Hehn, Jr., Air Communications Specialist, REMSA Health (Reno, NV)
Jason Henry, Fire Captain Paramedic, Rural Metro Fire (Mesa, AZ)
Kylend Hetherington, Paramedic, Medstar Ambulance (Auburn, MI)
Jon Hibbard, Paramedic Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Tuftonboro, MA)
Timothy Hinchcliff, Managing Director, Burholme Emergency Medical Services (Philadelphia, PA)
Jason Hodges, Operations Supervisor, Honor Guard Commander, American Medical Response (Wilsonville, OR)
Royce Hsiung, EMT-IV Tech, Lakes Region EMS (North Branch, MN)
Alan Hughry, Paramedic , Medic Ambulance Service Inc. (Vallejo, CA)
Kristen Hunter, Emergency Medical Technician Supervisor, Action Ambulance Service, Inc. (Southboro, MA)
Heather James, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician , American Medical Response (Lagrange, GA)
Lillie Jamison, Supervisor and Compliance Specialist, Baptist Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nesbit, TN)
Steve Jaskot, Community Paramedic, Emergent Health Partners (Chelsea, MI)
Brian Keith, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (Oshkosh, WI)
David Kingdon, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Wailuku, HI)
Alissa Krisher, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Wisconsin (New London, WI)
Daniel Laguna, Area Float Pilot, REACH (North Salt Lake, UT)
Matthew Lambert, Paramedic, Lifeguard Ambulance Service (Florence, AL)
Carla Landrum, Field Training Officer, Puckett EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Buchanan, GA)
Miki Leslie, Emergency Medical Technician, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (White Swan, WA)
William Loftus-Rooney, Emergency Medical Technician, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Holyoke , MA)
George Lombardo, EMS Training & Safety Manager, Superior Mobile Health (Kirby, TX)
Patti Ludvig McCartney, Integrated Care Paramedic, Life EMS Ambulance (Portage, MI)
Eric Lumpkin, Dispatch Supervisor – Quality Assurance & Training, Central EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Dacula, GA)
Don Marr, Paramedic, Bay Cities Ambulance (Coos Bay, OR)
James Martin, Critical Care Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Tulsa, OK)
Maurice Matthews, Critical Care Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Michigan (Berkley, MI)
Amanda McQuistian, Director Of Operations, LifeCare Medical Transports, Priority Ambulance (Fredericksburg, VA)
Alyssa Meier, Emergency Medical Technician, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott, AZ)
Eli Melamed, Paramedic, Life Line Ambulance (Prescott Valley, AZ)
Shelly Miller, Revenue Cycle Manager, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Concord, NC)
Loren Mitchell, Operations Supervisor , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Waterloo , WI)
Michael Mitchell, Emergency Medical Technician, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Illinois (Yorkville, IL)
Kevin Moore, Paramedic, Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc.  (Newburyport, MA)
Amber Munch, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Scott Munoz, Critical Care Paramedic, Missoula Emergency Services (Frenchtown, MT)
Adam Mysona, Emergency Medical Technician, Falck – Colorado (Lakewood, CO)
Philip Neff, Field Training Officer, Falck – Southern California (La Palma, CA)
Shellaine Novak, Clinical Services Director, PatientCare EMS (Sioux Falls, SD)
Stacy Omdahl, Emergency Medical Technician, LifeCare EMS (Roseau, MN)
Megan Overbeck, Paramedic, Abbott EMS (Decatur, IL)
Michael Penna, Critical Care Transport Registered Nurse, American Medical Response (Grand Terrace, CA)
Jon Jakob Peterson, Paramedic, Sanford Ambulance (Fargo, ND) (POSTHUMOUS)
Lori Peterson, Paramedic & Field Training Officer, Medstar Ambulance (Shelby Twp, MI)
Emily Robillard, Emergency Communications Officer , East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (New Roads, LA)
Kevin Rochford, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Temple, TX)
Brian Rogers, Advanced Scope Paramedic, Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service of Ohio (Ontario, OH)
Daniel Schaefer, Chief of Operations, Metro-Area Ambulance Service (Mandan , ND)
Madison Schatzer, Paramedic, McClain-Grady County EMS (Moore, OK)
Mark Schiltz, Emergency Medical Technician, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Caledonia, WI)
Ryan Schott, Field Training Officer, Paramedic Crew Chief, & Tactical Paramedic, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Joe Scott, Paramedic Shift Leader, Medix Ambulance Service Inc. (Warrenton , OR)
Allison Sharp, Paramedic, East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (Baton Rouge, LA)
Faith Shuff, Paramedic Field Supervisor, National EMS, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Oxford, TN)
Nicole Silver, Paramedic, Northwell Health System Center for EMS (Staten Island, NY)
Dale Simmons, EMS Program Administrator, Mercy Ambulance Service, Inc. (Savannah, GA)
Lance Smeal, Field Training Officer, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, American Medical Response (Lockport, NY)
Chad Smith, Director of Operation Support, Kunkel Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Mohawk, TN)
Robin Smith, Training Administrator, First Call Ambulance, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Nashville, TN)
Thomas Smith, Communications Manager, EMSA (Tulsa, OK)
Raquel Soto, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Newington, CT)
Jason Southard, Operations Supervisor, American Medical Response (Tucson, AZ)
Allen Steele, Emergency Medical Technician, Guardian Ambulance Service, Priority Ambulance, LLC (Darlington, SC)
Savannah Steele Welch, Field Supervisor, Paramedic, Acadian Ambulance (West Monroe, LA)
Ambrose Stevens, Operations Manager, Paramedic, American Medical Response (Redding, CA) (POSTHUMOUS)
Dalton Stewart, Paramedic, Pafford EMS (Boyle, MS)
Sam Swanson, Paramedic, Hall Ambulance Service  (Bakersfield, CA)
Jessicah Sweet, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Monticello Ambulance Service (Star City, AR)
Sam Sye, Fleet Service Manager , Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Mindoro, WI)
Keri Taylor, Health Information Management Coordinator, EMSA (Oklahoma City, OK)
Nikki Taylor, Captain, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Metropolitan EMS (North Little Rock, AR)
Heather Teague, Paramedic Crew Chief, Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Shane Terry, Flight Paramedic, Air Evac Lifeteam (Snyder, TX)
Chris Thomason, Paramedic, ProMed Ambulance (El Dorado, AR)
Cynthia Torkelson, Paramedic, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance (Monona, WI)
Richelle Treece, Paramedic, REACT EMS (Shawnee, OK)
David Trimberger, Paramedic Field Training Officer, Pafford EMS (Edmond, OK)
Cheryl VanSeters, Control Center Trainer, Life EMS Ambulance (Grand Rapids, MI)
Andrew Clei Varela, Paramedic, Field Training Officer, American Medical Response (Keyes , CA)
Lucie Walters, Flight Respiratory Therapist, AirMed International (Foley, AL)
Nicole Warren, Flight Nurse, Air Evac Lifeteam (Osceola, MO)
Andrew Watson, Paramedic & Clinical Services Specialist, EMSA (Norman, OK)
Paul Winter, Paramedic – Field Training Officer, Hartford HealthCare EMS Network (Shelton, CT)
Amy Wollenburg, Paramedic, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Austin, MN)
Haywad Yusufzai, EMT & Field Training Officer, Armstrong Ambulance Service (Arlington, MA)
Ronnie Zermeno, Paramedic Supervisor, Pafford EMS (Sherwood, AR)

Please note that members of the media are welcome to attend the Stars of Life Banquet at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill hotel on November 12, 2024 from 6:30–8:30pm. Interviews with Stars of Life as well as national EMS leaders will be available.

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The American Ambulance Association safeguards the future of mobile healthcare through advocacy, thought leadership, and education. AAA advances sustainable EMS policy, empowering our members to serve their communities with high-quality on-demand healthcare. For more than 40 years, we have proudly represented those who care for people first.

Register now: NEMSAC November Meeting

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News.

EMS News

Time to Register: NEMSAC Meeting

November 6-7, 2024
The National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) will host a hybrid meeting on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 1:00 pm ET, and Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 12:00 pm ET. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting virtually or in person and offer public comment.

Location: Hotel Washington, 515 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

Due to limited space, virtual attendance is encouraged

NEMSAC meets throughout the year to deliberate on specific policy issues affecting EMS systems across the nation. NEMSAC members provide counsel and recommendations to the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS) and the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

 

Register Now

Agenda Highlights:

  • Updates from OEMS and FICEMS Chairperson
  • NRSS and Post-Crash Care update
  • Reports on advisories in progress from the Subcommittees on:
    • Adaptability & Innovation
    • Equitable Patient Care
    • Preparedness & Education
    • Professional Safety
    • Sustainability & Efficiency
    • Integration & Technology
  • Guest Presentations (Day 1 & 2)
    • Behavioral Health in EMS with John R. Niemiec (IAFF)
    • Applications for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare with Stephen J. Konya, III (ASTP, formerly ONC)
    • Updates from the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) with Jose Cabanas, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAEMS
    • Updates from the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) with Arthur Hsieh, MA, NRP
    • Updates from the American Ambulance Association (AAA) with President, Randy Strozyk

Registrants who wish to address the Council during the public comment periods can submit comments in writing to NHTSA.NEMSAC@dot.gov by October 31, 2024. Questions and comments for the Council may also be presented during the meeting using the live chat feature.

We are committed to providing equal access to this event for all participants. People with disabilities can submit an accommodation request, and people with limited English proficiency can submit a language access request. Please submit any request to Clary Mole by phone at (202) 868-3275 or by email to Clary.Mole@dot.gov no later than October 31, 2024. A sign language interpreter and closed captioning services are available, through the Zoom virtual meeting platform, but only upon request.

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