The NAEMT Pulse is a monthly publication of NAEMT, distributed to all NAEMT members to provide the latest information about the association and the EMS profession, and provide resources to support our members carrying out their lifesaving work. To view the newsletter in another language, select the language from the translation button in the upper right of the screen.

FEBRUARY 2025

Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and it's also National Heart Month! On behalf of peaceful hearts everywhere, thank you for giving many hearts a second chance – calming and revitalizing them. We appreciate your whole-hearted service to your patients and communities!

50th ANNIVERSARY SPOTLIGHT

Influential Figures in NAEMT's History

Rocco V. Morando, a pioneering EMS leader and founding Executive Director of the National Registry of EMTs convened with the nine established state associations in Chicago on January 8, 1975, to explore forming a national EMS association. The group adopted his vision and became NAEMT’s founding members. During that time, the TV series “ Emergency! ” helped to shape our nation’s understanding of EMS and inspired the younger generation to enter the EMS profession.

WHAT'S HOT

Empowering EMS is a Shared Responsibility

Join Us at #EMSontheHill

Empowering EMS begins with you! Members of Congress must hear how your challenges impact your patients and care in your community. Speak directly to your U.S. Senators, Representatives, and key legislative staff to help them understand how to support you and your agency. Ask them to support Treat-In-Place/TIP, direct funding, and patient and practitioner safety legislation. Watch Video | Sponsor Appreciation

Participate in Hill Day and share your story.

Registration fee: NAEMT member: $20 / Other: $30 (until March 7; add $10 after); includes two receptions, congressional scheduling services, and mobile app.

Hill Day Schedule

Wed, April 2:

8am–7pm: Check-in/Displays

2pm–3pm: Orientation/Refresher

3:15pm–7pm: Briefing/Awards

Thurs, April 3:

8:30am–4pm: Congressional Visits

5pm–7pm: Post Hill Day Reception

Transform Your Data into Your Compelling Story

You have the data and community expertise, but is the depiction of your EMS agency’s value and benefit compelling? Attend Empowering EMS with Data: From Insights to Action , a working session held in conjunction with EMS On The Hill Day that will enable you to dig in with your peers to analyze, discuss, and even exchange data-driven messaging points for influencing elected officials.

Registration fee: NAEMT member: $49 / Other: $69 Register

New EMS Staffing White Paper Available

To aid EMS agencies in planning for responses and staffing needs for various medical calls, a collaborative of EMS organizations produced national guidelines – Rethinking Emergency Medical Services: Applying Evidence and Data to Redesign Response Models for a Resilient and Sustainable Future . Patient outcome data from peer-reviewed publications helped shaped this guidance document. We sincerely thank Matt Zavadsky, EMS/Mobile Healthcare Consultant for PWW and member of NAEMT’s Economics Committee, for spearheading this important project.

View White Paper

ADVOCACY

Medicare Ambulance Add-On Payments Expire on March 31 – Call on Congress to Extend

Current Medicare Ambulance Add-On Payments, 2% urban, 3% rural, and 22.6% in super rural areas, will expire on March 31, unless Congress acts. Contact your US Senate and House lawmakers to ensure ambulance add-on Medicare payments are extended. These payments were created to assist EMS agencies, who are under-reimbursed, to recruit and retain, update equipment, and continue to provide life-saving services in their communities. Request U.S. Senate and House lawmakers extend these critical payments before March 31.

Take Action

Encourage Your U.S. House Representative to Join the Bipartisan EMS Caucus

The EMS Caucus provides a platform to promote, educate, and increase awareness around federal policy issues impacting EMS and serves as a resource for policy questions on all prehospital and out-of-hospital healthcare issues. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Richard Hudson (R-NC) chair. If your representative is not yet a member of the caucus, please ask him or her to join to support EMS and patient care in your state.

EDUCATION

Get Your Certification Credits the Easy Way

Head to Recert to complete your recertification on your time . The Recert.com course library offers HUNDREDS of high-quality EMS and Fire-Rescue online courses, including the best NAEMT education — like the latest edition of EMS Safety! Most courses take just 1 to 2 hours to complete and feature interactive, media-rich, scenario-based learning.

Take NAEMT virtual refreshers for Paramedics, AEMTs, and EMTs built from NAEMT’s evidence-based content. Courses provide CAPCE-approved CE credit. Locate a refresher course

Be Prepared to Help Your Colleagues with ESO & MHRO

Two popular NAEMT courses prepare EMS personnel to serve as their agency’s EMS Safety Officer (ESO) or Mental Health Resilience Officer (MHRO). Both courses are available in an online interactive format, and MHRO is also offered as a classroom course. Both courses provide participants with a certificate of completion, CAPCE-approved CE, and valuable resources.

An ESO can assess safety in facilities, vehicles, and emergency scenes, while using best practices for preventing infections and maximizing patient and personal safety. Take ESO online | Learn more

The MHRO course teaches practitioners how to engage with peers to understand mental health issues and resilience, identify peers who are experiencing mental health crises, navigate peers in need to the right services for help, and help develop a culture of mental health resilience and emotional wellness within the agency. Take MHRO online | Locate a course | Learn more

PROFESSIONAL

EMS News Briefs

Colorado lawmakers aim to close ambulance surprise-billing gap. Read more
Blood transfusions at the scene save lives. But ambulances are rarely equipped to do them. Read more
Deputies in Tennessee step in after patient wrestles with EMS workers. Read more
Nitrous oxide is widely available as long as everyone pretends it’s being used for whipped cream. Read more
Rochester Regional Health trains EMS workers in New York on childbirth situations. Read more

NAEMT Radio Centers on the Value of Inter-organization Cooperation and Strategic Planning in EMS.

In this engaging episode, NAEMT President Chris Way and special guest Kevin Joles, Division Chief of EMS at Olathe FD and Chair of the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) dive into the value of collaboration across EMS organizations and the importance of strategic planning to shape the future of prehospital care. With a focus on the wildfires in Los Angeles, Chris and Kevin reflect on how EMS continues to adapt and respond to challenges, emphasizing the role of advocacy, innovation, and education in strengthening the profession. NAEMT Radio is hosted by NAEMT Member and Lighthouse Leadership Program Mentor, Rob Lawrence. NAEMT Radio episodes

National EMS Week is May 18-24

We see every day the remarkable dedication, sacrifices, and resilience of EMS practitioners to care for their patients and communities. To honor all in the EMS profession, we hope EMS agencies will plan to celebrate the EMS workforce during National EMS Week. Here is information to use as inspiration.

National EMS Awards of Excellence Nominations Open on March 3

Recognize our profession’s “Best” – the deserving EMS professionals who demonstrate the very best in EMS and serve as role models for their colleagues.

Recipients receive $1,000 in cash and $1,200 for travel and lodging plus three core program registrations at this year’s EMS World Expo in Indianapolis, IN. EMS agency award recipients also receive honors, and all award recipients receive the national recognition that goes with being named an outstanding individual or agency. The nomination period will be open from Mar. 3 through May 30. Read the award criteria.

Award categories:

· Paramedic

· Community Paramedic

· EMT

· Military medic

· EMS educator

· EMS medical director

· Pediatric EMS care

· Safety in EMS

· Career EMS Service

· Volunteer EMS Service

· EMS Caring

· Wellness & Resilience

2025 First Responder Wellness Week Campaign Begins on March 24

This year’s online campaign, themed Fit for Duty, Fit for Life , will feature free online resources to help public safety personnel thrive and gain inspiration for physical and mental wellness goals. Learn more about each day’s activities .

MEMBERSHIP

Congratulations, Susan Bailey, Recipient of 2025 Vanguard Award

We are pleased to announce that Susan Bailey, immediate past president of NAEMT, has been selected as a 2025 Vanguard Honoree in recognition of 35+ years of outstanding contributions to EMS. The award ceremony will be held during the AAA Annual Conference & Trade Show in Lexington, KY, June 22-24 .

Member Benefit Specials

We are pleased to provide a host of benefits for our members. Log in to Access Your Benefits and take advantage of these and other promotions. Can't log in? Contact us .

Save up to $600 at Dell's tech event!

Save up to 41% on select appliances from GE

Save up to 40% at Amazon Business Prime

New on the NAEMT Website

Visit Us at Upcoming Conferences

February 19-21: Tennessee Ambulance Services Association Conference, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
March 5-7: South Carolina EMS Symposium, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
April 29-May 2: EMS Preparedness Summit, San Antonio, Texas
May 5-9: SOMA 2025 Scientific Assembly , ( booth #814), Raleigh, North Carolina
May 30-June 1: CoAEMSP ACCREDITCON, (booth #16), Anaheim, California
August 4-6: National Conference of State Legislators Legislative Summit, booth 1029, Boston, Massachusetts
August 4-9: NAEMSE Annual Educational Symposium (booth #205), Orlando, Florida
August 7-10: Kansas EMS Association Conference (KEMSA), Manhattan, Kansas
October 13-15: Mississippians for EMS (MEMS) Conference, Biloxi, Mississippi
October 19-24: EMS World Expo (booth #923) & NAEMT Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana
November: Indiana EMS Association Conference, French Lick, Indiana

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