Pittsburgh, PA – To help ensure that emergency medical services (EMS) has a strong voice in the nation’s Capitol and in government decisions that affect the field and its practitioners, NAEMSE participated in the first EMS on the Hill Day on May 3-4 in Washington, D.C., hosted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).

Joann Freel, Executive Director of NAEMSE from Pennsylvania, Dr. Chris Nollette, President of NAEMSE from California and Angel Burba, Past President of NAEMSE from Maryland met with Congressional leaders and their Senators.

This event, which will be held annually, represented the EMS community’s first coordinated effort to visit congressional leaders and staff on Capitol Hill. The event:
• Included representation from all sectors of the EMS community.
• Provides a consistent message to Congress on the key issues affecting EMS and EMS practitioners.
• Encourages and promotes broad participation within the EMS community.

At the event, more than 150 EMS professionals from 41 states made approximately 200 visits with their U.S. Senators and House Representatives.

The Hotel Palomar in Washington, D.C., was the official event hotel. The program included a pre-Hill Visit briefing to prepare participants for visiting Congressional leaders, as well as a reception, hosted by NAEMT, for all participants, congressional leaders and staff, and federal agency staff.

“It was exciting to see EMS on the Hill Day come to fruition; it’s time that EMS practitioners receive the recognition they are due,” says Jerry Johnston, Immediate Past President of NAEMT and the event chair. “We hear time and time again from our membership that they most want a voice and to receive recognition for the work they do every day. This effort not only accomplished that, but also should serve as a catalyst for furthering future Hill activity and developing relationships that will strengthen our cause at the federal level.”

EMS on the Hill Day was the most worthwhile event where EMS was represented so well that I have ever attended,” said Joann Freel, Executive Director of NAEMSE.

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