In 2013, the National EMS Culture of Safety Strategy was published. The development of this document was funded by a NHTSA project grant to bring together the EMS stakeholder community to identify what constitutes a safe environment for EMS patients and practitioners; the challenges to achieving a safe EMS environment; and a strategy to overcome these challenges. The Strategy envisioned the establishment of a national level entity to coordinate national EMS safety efforts and serve as a repository for information, data and resources.
In 2015, several national EMS and safety organizations came together to establish a mechanism through which the recommendations contained in the National EMS Culture of Safety Strategy could be implemented. These organizations established the National EMS Safety Council.
The purpose of the Council is to ensure that patients receive emergency and mobile healthcare with the highest standards of safety, and promote a safe and healthy work environment for all emergency and mobile healthcare practitioners.
The National EMS Safety Council:
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Develops practical ways to implement the recommendations included in National EMS Culture of Safety Strategy.
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Reviews the latest information, research, and best practices on EMS patient and practitioner safety.
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Develops and publishes consensus statements on the issues of EMS patient and practitioner safety as guidance to EMS agencies and practitioners;
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Raises awareness of the importance of EMS patient and practitioner safety within the EMS industry.
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Identifies additional steps that the EMS industry can take to improve EMS patient and practitioner safety.
NAEMT and ACEP provide administrative support to the Council. Contact the Council with questions or comments at nemssc@naemt.org.