Presentation: Preparing for sentinel EMS news events

EMS leaders at Pinnacle conference learn and discuss best practices for preparing for and surviving a sentinel EMS news event

July 25, 2016 01:01 PM •

Local news media is interested in EMS when it is at its best — saving lives — or at its worst. The attention an EMS agency and its paramedics receives from the news media is a reflection of intentional pre-planning and relationship building, as well as inadequate preparation for sentinel events, such as collisions, thefts, billing fraud, LODDs and at-work arrests.

These slides, from my presentation at the 2016 Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum, explore the best practices of several agencies who excel at media relations and the regular news coverage that expose opportunities for policy change and training improvement.

Preparing for Sentinel EMS News Events from Greg Friese

Read quick takes from other sessions presented by experts and leaders at the 2016 Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum.

Greg Friese, MS, NRP

Greg Friese, MS, NRP, is an educator, author and national registry paramedic. He previously served as the Lexipol Media Group editorial director, leading the editorial teams on Police1, FireRescue1, Corrections1, EMS1 and Gov1. Prior to that, Friese served as the EMS1 editor-in-chief for five years. Friese has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree from the University of Idaho. He has received multiple honors from both the Jesse H. Neal Awards and the Eddie Awards, the latter awards including Best Column/Blog honors in 2018 and 2020, and special recognition as Editorial Director of the Year in 2024. Friese was a 2010 recipient of the EMS 10 Award for innovation. Connect with Greg on Twitter or LinkedIn.