National EMS Weekend of Honor 2021

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Tammy Chatman, Public Affairs
414-791-6655

National EMS Weekend of Honor 2021

New dates and location announced

Washington, D.C. (April 4, 2021) – The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR), the National EMS Memorial Foundation (NEMSMF) and the National EMS Memorial Service (NEMSMS) announce that the 2021 National EMS Memorial Service and Weekend of Honor, originally scheduled for May has been moved to July 23-25, 2021 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport, Arlington, VA. The goal for the reschedule was to balance our commitment to provide a safe and healing environment for all attendees while providing special recognition for the many participants who remain on the front-line of the COVID-19 response. The ceremonies will pay tribute to the past two year’s honorees-2019-2020-due to the cancellation of the 2020 events in response to the pandemic.

For those attending the Weekend of Honor and staying overnight, we ask that you please use the link below when booking your hotel rooms. The health and well-being of all who attend are of the upmost importance to our organizations and the hosting facility. Use of the link is critical as it allows our organizations and the hotel to better meet CDC guidelines for safe in-person gatherings over the three days.

https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/WASRC/G-A8DT

*For any issues please contact the hotel at 877-803-7534

The Weekend includes a series of events to honor all air and ground Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers who serve in the US, while focusing on those who become ill or injured related to their duty. It culminates with a formal Service to specifically honor those who have died in the line-of-duty.

Brian Shaw, NEMSMBR president states “For the past 20 years the National EMS Memorial Service and Weekend of Honor begin with the arrival of our cyclist and support personnel meeting the honoree families. With that tradition in mind, and in addition to the five nationwide bike rides we have planned for September of this year, we are actively preparing a one-day ride into this year’s Weekend of Honor befitting our honorees. We will continue to shine a light on the sacrifices those in EMS make. More details will be posted on our website www.nemsmbr.org as they become available.”

This year’s National EMS Memorial Service will pay tribute to over one hundred EMS providers who died in the line-of-duty in the largest service we have ever performed.  It will include numerous historical honorees as well a number of recipients directly related to the pandemic.  Jana Williams, NEMSMS president conveyed, “I reaffirm there has never been a more defining time to honor the service and sacrifice of those in EMS as there remains right now. Despite persistent challenges, we remain committed that the fallen will not be forgotten.  We appreciate the continued support to ensure they receive the full national recognition they deserve.”  The list of honorees and information on the weekend’s events including the National EMS Moment of Silence will be posted to the NEMSMS website at www.national-ems-memorial.org in the coming weeks.

Katie Orsino, NEMSMF executive director shared “We support our partners at the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride and the National EMS Memorial Service as they prepare modified events this year to honor our EMS colleagues. What our first responders have demonstrated especially over the last year has been extraordinary. It reinforces our resolve to bring a permanent EMS memorial to the nation’s capital to honor their commitment, service, and sacrifice. We will not waiver in our efforts to ensure it becomes reality.” Updates on the progress of this effort can be found on at www.emsmemorial.org.

The Weekend of Honor is organized and hosted by the following volunteer-staffed organizations: National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, National EMS Memorial, and the National EMS Memorial Foundation. See http://www.national-ems-memorial.org/ for more information on the specific updates as they become available.

EMS Week 2021 Announcement

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Events, News, Press.

CONTACT
Tracy Hilsabeck
760-815-8432
thilsabeck@redflashgroup.com

For Immediate Release

“THIS IS EMS: CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES” CAMPAIGN TO HONOR EMS PROFESSIONALS DURING ANNUAL EMS WEEK

ACEP and NAEMT campaign celebrates emergency medical services professionals May 16-21, 2021

March 26, 2021—WASHINGTON, DC—The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), in partnership with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), is proud to announce the EMS Week 2021 theme: THIS IS EMS: CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. The annual campaign recognizes the heroes who provide emergency medical services in communities across the country and takes place May 16th -21st this year.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to test EMS professionals like never before,” said Mark Rosenberg, DO, MBA, FACEP, president of ACEP. “EMTs, paramedics and other frontline workers are rising to the challenge and each has a crucial role in responding to the public health crisis of our lifetime. National EMS Week is a time to recognize and honor EMS professionals for their tireless dedication to their communities—not just during this pandemic but every day.”

Under the “EMS Strong” banner, the campaign supports and strengthens the EMS community by honoring accomplishments and increasing awareness of the critical role of EMS in communities across the country. Inspiring stories about EMS practitioners can be found on www.EMSSTRONG.org along with the annual EMS Week Planning Guide, a resource for the EMS community and stakeholders to help celebrate EMS Week and promote the value of emergency medical services.

“Throughout the pandemic, EMS has been on the frontlines, caring for the sickest COVID-19 patients, while also staffing COVID-19 testing and vaccine clinics,” said Chief Bruce Evans, CFO, SPO, NRP, MPA, president of NAEMT. “EMS Week is a chance for communities to come together and express their gratitude for EMS practitioners. Our nation’s paramedics and EMTs, as well as their families, have been through so much. Recognizing their service and sacrifices is an important step in healing and recovery from the stress and intensity of the past year.”

EMS Week dedicates five days to specific themes, and first responders are encouraged to plan activities and events around these themes in their communities.

  • Monday, May 17: EMS Education Day
  • Tuesday, May 18: EMS Safety Day
  • Wednesday, May 19: EMS for Children Day
  • Thursday, May 20: Save-A-Life Day (CPR & National Stop the Bleed Day)
  • Friday, May 21: EMS Recognition Day

Integral to the campaign’s success is the involvement and support from the corporate sponsors, strategic association partners and strategic media partners.

Corporate Supporters: FirstNet Built with AT&T, Genentech, T-Mobile for Government, American Red Cross, NHTSA/Office of EMS, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), AdvancedCPR Solutions, Boundtree Medical, Laerdal Medical, McKesson Medical-Surgical and North American Rescue.

Strategic Association Partners: American Ambulance Association, Association of Air Medical Services, Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education, Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics, International Public Safety Association, National Association of EMS Educators, National Association of EMS Physicians, National Association of State EMS Officials, National EMS Management Association, National Fire Protection Association, National Registry of EMTs and National Volunteer Fire Council.

Strategic Media Partners: EMS1.com, EMS World and JEMS/EMS Today. Visit www.EMSSTRONG.org for more information about 2021 EMS Week.

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About ACEP

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

About NAEMT

Formed in 1975 and more than 72,000 members strong, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians is the only national association representing the professional interests of all emergency and mobile healthcare practitioners, including emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians, emergency medical responders, paramedics, advanced practice paramedics, critical care paramedics, flight paramedics, community paramedics and mobile integrated healthcare practitioners. NAEMT members work in all sectors of EMS, including government agencies, fire departments, hospital- based ambulance services, private companies, industrial and special operations settings and in the military. For more information, visit www.naemt.org.

Press Release | EMERGICON Garners Two Awards for Fast-Growing, Private Companies

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

From Emergicon Public Relations

Contact:

Chris Kelley

chris@mpdventures.com

214.457.5266

 

EMERGICON Garners Two Awards for Fast-Growing, Private Companies 

Dallas 100 and Inc. 5000 Texas recognize premier ambulance billing service provider 

 

(TERRELL, TX – March 31, 2021) – EMERGICON, Texas’ largest ambulance billing provider, has been named to two award lists that recognize the fastest-growing, privately held organizations. The company placed:

 

The company growth was further evident in Fall 2020 with EMERGICON’s relocation and expansion of its headquarters to Terrell, Texas. The 15,000-sf facility now houses some 85+ employees.

 

“It’s an honor to be recognized for our fast growth by two well-respected award programs in Texas in the same year,” says EMERGICON’s Founder and CEO Christopher Turner, MHA. “More so, the awards mean that we are being effective in helping EMS providers and Fire Departments in Texas improve their emergency medical billing process and increase their patient reimbursements.”

 

Turner continues, “We’re fanatical about building a great culture and serving Texas EMS providers’ greater mission. The entire team at EMERGICON shares the belief that service comes first, as we support the first responders who save lives and the patients who needed that help in an emergency.”

 

The Dallas 100 awards, presented by the SMU Cox Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, ranks the top 100 fastest-growing, privately owned businesses in the DFW Metroplex. The 2020 award ranking was based on company revenues over the three-year period from 2017 to 2019.

 

The Inc. 5000 Regional awards, presented by Inc. Magazine, rank the top 250 fastest-growing private companies in Texas from 2017-2019. Over that period, EMERGICON experienced a 50% growth rate. The company was previously recognized on the Inc. 5000 national lists in 2020 and 2019.

 

ABOUT EMERGICON 

As the largest Texas-owned and Texas-based emergency medical services billing company, EMERGICON provides a better solution for processing ambulance billing claims. The company provides a human-based approach to claims management which results in better cash collections and fewer patient complaints than automated services. Founded in 2006, its team is dedicated to compliance, provider reimbursement, and customer service. Learn more at www.emergicon.com or visit its sister company EMERGIFIRE at www.emergifire.com.

NBC | Covid package, federal program offer lifeline and herald change for ambulances services

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Legislative, News, Press.

March 18, 2021, 3:54 PM EDT

Features Empress EMS and REMSA!

By Phil McCausland
During the height of the pandemic, a quiet financial crisis was brewing for ambulance companies.

As hospitals became overwhelmed and patients begged not to be taken to crowded emergency rooms for fear of potential infection, paramedics and emergency medical technicians began treating patients where they met them — outside homes, alongside roadways, in parking lots.

The trouble is that ambulance companies are only paid to transport people, not for treating them.

Now, an aid package in the American Rescue Plan and a new federal health care program could provide a financial lifeline for ambulance companies and herald a permanent shift in emergency medicine as a whole.

The attempt to reimburse ambulance companies began with a bill introduced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., but the legislation was ultimately rolled into the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill. Cortez Masto voted for the plan, and Cassidy did not.

“Our first responders have gone above and beyond in caring for patients during the pandemic, and it’s just wrong that ambulance companies weren’t getting paid unless they took patients to the hospital,” Cortez Masto said.

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Congress Recognizes Ambulance Services as Health Care Services in “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021”

Written by Kathy Lester on . Posted in Government Affairs, Legislative, News.

Also Adds Dollars to the Provider Relief Fund to Support Rural Providers and Suppliers

March 10, 2021

Moments ago, the House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing “The American Rescue Plan.” Among the many provisions, this legislation includes waiver authority to allow the Medicare program to reimburse for ground ambulance services provided during the COVID-19 public health emergency when the beneficiary has not been transported under certain circumstances. It also increases the Provider Relief Fund by $8.5 billion, targeting the money to rural providers and suppliers, including ground ambulance services.

The American Ambulance Association (AAA) worked diligently with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reimburse ground ambulance services when they provide health care services to a beneficiary, but because of the pandemic the beneficiary was not transported. CMS concluded and communicated in a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) that the Social Security Act requires the beneficiary to be transported in order for Medicare to reimburse the ground ambulance provider or supplier for the care provided.

To address this problem during the pandemic, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced S. 149 that would allow CMS to waive the statutory provision creating the barrier to reimbursement during the pandemic. More specifically, it would allow CMS to reimburse ground ambulance services responding to a 9-1-1 or equivalent emergency call even when the beneficiary is not transported when a community-wide EMS protocol prohibiting the transport is in place. Reps. Cindy Axne (D-IA), John Larson (D-CT), and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced the companion bill, H.R. 1609, in the House.

The Senate included S. 149 in “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,” which passed the Senate 50-49 on March 6. This amended version passed the House along party lines earlier today and the President is expected to sign the bill into law before March 14.

CMS must exercise its authority under the waiver for the provision to be implemented. The AAA has already begun working with CMS to urge it to act as quickly as possible and we are coordinating this effort with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, National Association of EMTs, National Volunteer Fire Council and the Congressional Fire Services Institute.

In addition to the waiver allowing for reimbursement for treatment in place, the final bill includes $8.5 billion additional dollars for the Provider Relief Fund directed to rural health care providers and suppliers. The funds can be used for health care related expenses and lost revenues that are attributable to COVID–19.  To be eligible for a payment, an eligible rural health care provider or supplier must be enrolled Medicare or Medicaid and submit to the Secretary an application that includes a justification statement, documentation of the expenses or losses, the tax identification number, assurance required by the Secretary, and any other information the Secretary requires.  The expenses and losses cannot have been reimbursed from another source or another source cannot already be obligated to reimburse.

“The American Rescue Act” marks an important step forward for ground ambulance organizations who have been on the front line of the pandemic and offers important relief recognizing the unique and essential role these organizations play in community response to the pandemic.

For more information on the provisions of the bill that impact ground ambulance services, please sign up for the webinar on “The American Rescue Plan and EMS” scheduled for this Friday, March 12, at 2:00 pm (eastern).

California | Solano County’s Helen Pierson Named Woman of the Year

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Digest State News, News, Press.

From California Senator Bill Dodd on March 5

VALLEJO – Helen Pierson, whose company, Medic Ambulance Service, has been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, transporting some of the first people exposed to the virus on the Princess Cruise ship and later, organizing mobile testing and vaccine dissemination, has been named Woman of the Year for Solano County by Sen. Bill Dodd.

“Helen stepped up in a major way, helping to keep our community safe during one of the worst public health crises the world has ever seen,” Sen. Dodd said. “She leads a dedicated team that Solano County and the surrounding region has come to depend on. She also volunteers her time and energy for numerous community organizations. I couldn’t be more proud to recognize Helen for her important work.”

“We love our community, which has done so much to support us over the years,” Helen Pierson said. “It’s an honor to be recognized. My parents and big brother started this company four decades ago, and we have a great group of medical professionals who deserve so much of the credit for our success today.”

Medic Ambulance, founded by the Manfredi family in 1979, provides 911 emergency services for Solano County with its fleet of 70 ambulances and 350 employees. The company also serves parts of the greater Sacramento area and North Bay.

Helen Pierson started with the company in 1988 and was named CEO in 2019. Under her leadership, Medic Ambulance played a key role in pandemic response as well as serving communities impacted by severe wildfires. The company was among the first in the nation to treat and transport COVID-19 patients as they came into Travis AFB in early 2020. It later partnered with Solano County to provide mobile coronavirus testing to at-risk facilities and expanded this partnership to mobile vaccinations. Additionally, Medic Ambulance deployed ambulance strike teams to Kern, Santa Cruz, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Butte and Solano counties over the past year.

Helen is a past-president of the California Ambulance Association — only the second woman in the association’s 65-year history to hold this position. She also plays key roles in many community organizations including Vallejo Rotary, Leadership Vallejo and Saint Francis High School in Sacramento. She was recognized as the Kiwanian of the Year in 1993 and was Vallejo Rotary Club president for 2015-2016. Helen is a past board member of Christian Brothers High School.

She lives in Fairfield with her husband and has three adult children who work in her family business.

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties. You can learn more about the district and Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.

 

EMS.gov | Rural EMS training and recruiting grants

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press, Regulatory.

From NHTSA’s Office of EMS

DEADLINE REMINDER: Apply now for rural EMS training and recruiting grants
Eligible applicants from rural EMS agencies are encouraged to submit applications before March 18, 2021

EMS organizations planning on applying for a Rural EMS Training Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment must submit applications by March 18. SAMHSA plans on awarding up to $5.5 million in awards to help eligible agencies recruit and train personnel. More information is available on SAMHSA’s website.

In recognition of the great need for emergency services in rural areas and the critical role EMS personnel serve across the country, SAMHSA plans on funding up to 27 projects, with a maximum of $200,000 per grant awardee. Eligible applicants include rural EMS agencies operated by a local or tribal government (fire-based and non-fire based) and non-profit EMS agencies.

Learn More or Apply Now

Minnesota | EMS workers adapt and persist, amid stress of pandemic

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

From Minnesota Public Radio

Comfort in the chaos: EMS workers adapt and persist, amid stress of pandemic

Evan Frost and Catharine Richert
North Branch, Minn.

Paramedic Heidi Rennick describes her first COVID-19 call last spring like “walking on to a movie set.”

When she arrived at the hospital, there were COVID-19-only floors, red tape and full beds.

The challenges have mounted since those first cases, and emergency medical services across the state have adapted with new protocols, treatment plans and personal protective equipment — and in some smaller communities, where emergency medical services are volunteer-operated, shifts have been hard to fill.

Rennick, a staff paramedic, and EMT John Aldrich work together for Lakes Region EMS, covering the Chisago Lakes area, north of the Twin Cities.

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VeryWell Health | How Non-Emergency Ambulances Work

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

From VeryWell Health on February 7 

We all know that ambulances respond to 911 calls, rushing down the street with sirens wailing and lights flashing. The paramedics are on the way to save lives. When they arrive at the scene, they’ll take control of the situation and find the solution to the problems. The patient will be stabilized and transported to an emergency department for definitive care.

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Rural Policy Research Institute EMS Study

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Digest State News, News, Operations, Patient Care, Press.

From RUPRI in January 2021

Characteristics and Challenges of Rural Ambulance Agencies – A Brief Review and Policy Considerations

Rural ambulance agencies, a fundamental component of the rural emergency medical services (EMS) system, are challenged by the following issues:

  • long distances and challenging terrain that prolong emergency response and transport times,
  • insufficient payment by insurers to cover standby and fixed costs,
  • a changing workforce that has historically relied on volunteers but increasingly must include paid personnel,
  • a lack of regional EMS plans to coordinate services, and
  • insufficient State and Federal policy coordination across oversight agencies.

Specific public policies to address rural ambulance agency challenges could include the following:

  • Increase ambulance payment to adequately cover reasonable standby and fixed costs.
  • Consider EMS an essential service, the same as firefighting and law enforcement.
  • Collect rural ambulance agency workforce data to better understand workforce needs.
  • Expand the scope and authority of the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS to address rural ambulance agency payment and workforce challenges.

Download PDF Report

Deadline | Michael Bay’s Action-Thriller ‘Ambulance’ Adds Five To Cast

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

From Deadline on February 4

Grammy nominated recording artist Wale Folarin, Cedric Sanders, Jackson White, Colin Woodell and Olivia Stambouliah are joining Michael Bay’s Endeavor Content-Universal action thriller Ambulance, we have learned.

The five join the growing cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eiza Gonzalez, Garret Dillahunt, A Martinez, Keir O’Donnell and Moses Ingram.

Tthe pic is based off the original Danish Film Ambulancen and in the spirit of such 1990s action pics as Speed and Bad Boys. Chris Fedak wrote the original script. Bay, Bradley Fischer of New Republic Pictures, James Vanderbilt, Will Sherak and Ian Bryce are producing. Michael Kase and Mark Moran are EPs.

Continue Reading►

Senators Cortez Masto and Cassidy Introduce Bill on Ambulance Treatment in Place

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Government Affairs, Legislative, News.

Yesterday, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D- NV) and Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) introduced legislation (S. 149) to allow for Medicare reimbursement under certain circumstances of treatment in place by ground ambulance service organizations during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The AAA applauds the efforts of Senators Cortez Masto and Bill Cassidy as well as the Senate Finance Committee and Leadership.

S. 149 would provide the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with the authority to waive the requirement that a patient be transported to a medical facility in order for the ground ambulance service provider or supplier to receive Medicare reimbursement. The waiver would apply to 9-1-1 emergency ambulance services in which the transport did not occur as a result of “community-wide EMS protocols” due to the public health emergency. While the bill would not apply to situations in which a patient declines transport due to COVID-19 exposure concerns as advocated by the AAA, S. 149 is a significant step in the right direction to recognize ground ambulance services not being reimbursed during the pandemic.

The American Ambulance Association (AAA) along with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) and National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) have spearheaded efforts for the Congress to provide CMS with waiver authority for treatment in place. We will be pushing to include the language of S. 149 in the COVID-19 stimulus package currently being negotiated between the White House and the Congress.

For the official statement of the AAA on the introduction of S. 149, please click here.

Biden Administration Executive Orders Related to COVID-19

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Executive, News.

As the Biden Administration unveils their plans for the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we will continue to update this post with any documents that may be of interest to our membership and industry.

January 28, 2021 | Week 2

U.S. House and Senate Notification

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Re: HHS Announces Marketplace Special Enrollment Period for COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

 In accordance with the Executive Order issued today by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals and families for Marketplace coverage in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. This SEP will allow individuals and families in states with Marketplaces served by the HealthCare.gov platform to enroll in 2021 health insurance coverage.

Beginning February 15, 2021 and through May 15, 2021, these Marketplaces will operationalize functionality to make this SEP available to all Marketplace-eligible consumers who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. State-based Marketplaces (SBMs) operating their own platform have the opportunity to take similar action within their states.  Starting February 15, consumers seeking to take advantage of the new SEP can find out if they are eligible by visiting HealthCare.gov. Consumers can find local help at Localhelp.healthcare.gov or by calling the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.

To view a press release about this announcement, visit:  https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/01/28/hhs-announces-marketplace-special-enrollment-period-for-covid-19-public-health-emergency.html

To view a fact sheet about this announcement, visit: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2021-special-enrollment-period-response-covid-19-emergency

Memo from AAA lobbyist, Kathy Lester, on why these executive orders are important to AAA members. 

January 20-27, 2021 | Week 1

 

 

AJC | Georgia EMS crews near ‘breaking point’

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on January 8

On a recent day, a Dawsonville ambulance worker was trying to rush a patient with dangerously high blood pressure to the hospital.

But after a brief call, she learned its emergency department was on “diversion,” meaning her patient could wait more than an hour for a bed, tying up the ambulance from responding to other calls.

“I have been hung up … and told to go else where!” she posted on the social media page of a statewide group of emergency medical personnel.

Continue Reading

KHN | One Ambulance Ride Leads to Another When Packed Hospitals Cannot Handle Non-Covid Patients

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Patient Care, Press.

From Kaiser Health News on January 11

One Ambulance Ride Leads to Another When Packed Hospitals Cannot Handle Non-Covid Patients

Keely Connolly thought she would be safe once the ambulance arrived at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in Kansas.

She was having difficulty breathing because she’d had to miss a kidney dialysis treatment a few days earlier for lack of child care. Her potassium was dangerously high, putting her at risk of a heart attack. But she trusted she would be fine once she was admitted and dialysis was begun.

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JEMS Op-Ed | You Should Take the Vaccine

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, News, Press.

COVID-19 Can Kill You Now or Later. You Should Take the Vaccine.
By AJ Heightman on December 31, 2020

It pains me to have to write about a young, healthy EMS provider/firefighter from my hometown of Scranton, PA, but there is an important message for you to hear about COVID-19 and importance for all emergency responders to take the vaccines being offered to them.

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EMS1 | EMS advocacy and adaptability with Shawn Baird

Written by rlawrence on . Posted in AAA HQ, News, Press.

EMS1 Interview of AAA President Shawn Baird by AAA Communications Chair Rob Lawrence

As we enter, hopefully, a happier new year, several of our national associations that have been at the forefront of collaborative advocacy efforts and the voices of the EMS profession have undergone planned changes in their leadership.

To welcome in 2021, I sat down, via Zoom, with Shawn Baird, incoming president of the American Ambulance Association and asked him about 2020 and his thoughts on the future of our industry. Shawn is the vice president for rural services with MetroWest Ambulance Family of Companies in Oregon. Shawn spent the last two years serving the AAA as president elect and has been at the center of AAA activity and advocacy.

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Happy 2021, EMS!

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in AAA HQ, Member-Only, News.

Happy New Year, EMS! No matter how big the challenge, mobile healthcare NEVER gives up on our communities. Paramedics, EMTs, and Dispatchers have been a ray of hope in the #COVID19 pandemic. Thanks for showing us all what CARING really means.

Happy New Year, #EMS! No matter how big the challenge, #mobilehealthcare NEVER gives up on our communities. #Paramedics,…

Posted by American Ambulance Association on Wednesday, December 30, 2020

NYT | With Virus Surging, EMS’s Job Just Got Harder

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News, Press.

From The New York Times on December 29, 2020

With Virus Surging, Ambulance Workers’ Hard Job Just Got Harder

By Gabriella Angotti-Jones

Emergency medical technicians for Amwest Ambulance have worked with coronavirus patients in Los Angeles since March. During this surge of cases in California, roughly 40 percent of the patients they transport are considered “Covid-19 probable.”

The day begins with calls to the dispatch center. Linze Thompson, 26, records information: the state of patients’ health, their coronavirus test results and safety precautions the E.M.T.s must take.

The dispatcher notes an estimated time for patient pickup and contacts the crew on call. Crews time each transport down to the minute.

Once on location, Joshua Berrios, 30, dons a mask, gown, face shield, goggles and gloves. The E.M.T.s approach each scene as if the patient were positive for the coronavirus.

Read Full Interactive Story

 

COVID-19 EMS Association Thank You Video

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in AAA HQ, News, Press.

#EMS association leaders say THANK YOU to #paramedics, #EMTs, #dispatchers, and other #MobileHealthcare professionals. Thank you for serving on the very front lines of our nation’s #COVID19 response!

Thank you to Matt Zavadsky for creating this video!

AMERICAN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION
PO Box 96503 #72319
Washington, DC 20090-6503
hello@ambulance.org
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Email hello@ambulance.org to open a support ticket for friendly assistance!

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