U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced the appointment of 23 leaders in the emergency medical services field to serve on the National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (NEMSAC).

The council, first chartered by the U.S Department of Transportation in 2007, provides expert emergency medical services (EMS) advice to the department and its federal partners. It makes recommendations on key issues in the EMS field, including recruitment and retention of emergency medical service personnel, quality assurance, federal grants for emergency services, and preparation for multi-casualty incidents.

NAEMT members appointed to the Council by Secretary LaHood are:

Jeffrey P. Salomone, MD. Dr. Salomone, a trauma surgeon, is associate professor of surgery at the Emory University School of Medicine and deputy chief of surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

Linda K. Squirrel. Squirrel is the EMS special projects coordinator for the Cherokee Nation. She is the founding president of the National Native American EMS Association.

Gary G. Ludwig. Ludwig is the deputy fire chief for the city of Memphis, Tenn. He is currently chair of the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Gary L. Wingrove. Wingrove specializes in government relations and strategic affairs for Mayo Medical Transportation. He has served as director of emergency medical services for the State of Minnesota.

Baxter Larmon, M.D., PhD. Dr. Larmon is professor of emergency medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and the founding director of the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care. He founded the Prehospital Care Research Forum, which has published more than 400 EMS-related studies.

“Experts who serve on the National EMS Advisory Council provide invaluable guidance to our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” says Secretary LaHood. “We are grateful for the service of our new appointees.”

For more information on NEMSAC, visit www.dot.gov.