What happened: The U.S. Department of Transportation terminated all 25 members of the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) in a sudden decision. While the council itself still exists, its entire board was dismissed with plans to appoint new members in the future. Established in 2007, NEMSAC is tasked with advising federal officials on EMS policy and practice. The move has sparked uncertainty about the council’s effectiveness, its priorities, and the future role of EMS at the federal level.
| More: National EMS Advisory Council board members terminated
Highlights
Watch as Ed Bauter, MBA, MHL, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C; and Daniel Schwester, MICP, highlight the significance of this development, including:
- NEMSAC’s limited influence. While designed to guide EMS nationally, the council has no enforcement authority, and its recommendations are not binding.
- A foundation for federal EMS dialogue. Despite its limitations, NEMSAC has provided a platform for EMS professionals to communicate directly with federal agencies and influence long-term planning.
- An opportunity for renewal. The dismissal of all members could reset the council with a stronger, more pragmatic approach to advancing EMS at the federal level.
The path forward
Although the mass termination of NEMSAC members created uncertainty, the action also opens the door for new representation and fresh perspectives. If pragmatic, solutions-focused leaders are appointed, the council could shift its focus toward national EMS challenges such as workforce retention, cardiac arrest survival and mental health. The opportunity exists to strengthen EMS’s federal voice — if the next iteration of NEMSAC embraces it.
Additional resources:
- Myth-busting the National EMS Advisory Council
- NEMSAC dismantled: Inside the fallout shaking federal EMS policy
- Paramedic leaders call for clinician-led reconstitution of NEMSAC after members terminated
EMS1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.
