James O. Page, the founding father of modern EMS in the United States, had a vision to create a mentorship program that guides and supports EMS professionals in achieving their leadership goals. He called it the EMS Lighthouse Leadership Program (LLP). NAEMT embraces that vision with the understanding that leadership development is the most practical lever for keeping EMS professionals in the field.

LLP is an 18-month formal mentorship program grounded in applied leadership practices that pairs emerging EMS leaders with senior leaders recognized in their field. Mentees must be NAEMT members, hold EMT certification or higher, have at least five years in EMS, and be actively working or volunteering in the field.

Each cohort moves through a defined arc:

1. Application and interview, scored on a common scale.
2. One-to-one matching with a mentor whose background fits the mentee's goals.
3. Leadership vision statement and goals, developed with the mentor.
4. Monthly virtual leadership forums with the full cohort.
5. A culminating applied leadership project that solves a real problem for an agency or community.
6. Project presentations, then graduation at the NAEMT Annual Meeting.

Applications for the Class of 2028 Lighthouse Leadership Program will open in January 2027.