Clinton, Miss. — To help build and support the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)'s national EMS advocacy efforts at the state level, NAEMT President Connie A. Meyer has appointed several NAEMT members as volunteer state advocacy coordinators. The new state advocacy coordinators are:
Alabama – Linda Oldham, BS, NREMT-P
Alaska – Carin Marter, NREMT-P, FP-C
Georgia – Rhonda Fountain, EMT-P
Indiana – Jason Scheiderer, NREMT-P
Iowa - Thomas Craighton, BS, AAS,CRT, RCP, PS, CCP, FF-II, EMT-P
Lousiana – Natalie Quebodeaux, NREMT-P
Maryland – Wm. Random Ward, NREMT-P
Massachusetts – Scott Kier, EMT-P
Missouri – Lori Ann Schwalm, EMT-B
Mississippi – David Hall, NREMT-P
New York – Richard Nower, MAT, NR-EMTP
North Carolina – Sean Smith, RN-Paramedic, BS, C-NPT, CCRN, CSC, CMC, CEN, CFRN, FP-C
Ohio – Ed Brewer, EMT-P
Pennsylvania – Jon Blatman, NREMT-P
South Carolina – Dean Douglas, EMT-P
Utah – Shanna Alger, BA, AS, ADN, Paramedic, CCEMTP
Virginia – Allen (Mac) Snead, MS, NREMT-P
Vermont – Matt Herbert, EMT-I
Wisconsin – Andrew Schlagel, CCEMT-P
Wyoming – Jay Johnson, EMT-P
Puerto Rico – Etienne Rosado Domenech, EMT-P
NAEMT intends that each state, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will have an
appointed state advocacy coordinator to support federal advocacy efforts within the state.
Helpful information on how legislation is reviewed and how to advocate in your state can be
found at www.naemt.org/advocacy/advocateinyourstate.aspx .
The responsibilities of the position include:
- Conducting outreach to NAEMT members in the state to encourage and support member participation in national EMS advocacy efforts;
- Updating members on the status of pending national legislation and regulation;
- Coordinating visits to the district offices of the state’s U.S. Senators and House Representatives to educate congressional leaders and staff about the issues that affect delivery of EMS to communities within the state;
- Building relations with the state EMS office and state EMS association(s);
- Coordinating state involvement in national advocacy campaigns.
EMS practitioners are encouraged to contact their state advocacy coordinator and let them know they are interested in federal advocacy issues and willing to help by reaching out to their individual networks. Learn more about the role of the state advocacy coordinators, contacting the coordinator in your state, and how to become a state advocacy coordinator on this web page: www.naemt.org/advocacy/StateAdvocacyCoordinators.aspx . NAEMT is committed to securing a state advocacy coordinator for every state. Interested NAEMT members are encouraged to apply for the open state positions at advocacy@naemt.org.
About NAEMT
More than 32,000 members strong, NAEMT is the nation’s only professional association representing all EMS practitioners, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders and other professionals working in prehospital emergency medicine. NAEMT members work in all sectors of EMS, including government service agencies, fire departments, hospitalbased ambulance services, private companies, industrial and special operations settings, and in the military.