Zavadsky, Ludwig and Lawrence: Treatment in place hurdles

NAEMT, IAFC and AAA leaders discuss vaccine hesitancy, PPE fatigue and treatment in place legislation

March 17, 2021 10:24 AM •

In this edition of EMS One-Stop with Rob Lawrence, our host, Rob Lawrence welcomes guests Matt Zavadsky, MS-HSA, EMT; immediate past president of the National Association of EMTs, and Gary Ludwig, immediate past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Both Matt and Gary led their associations through the COVID-19 pandemic and, along with the American Ambulance Association and others, formed a strong collaboration to lobby and speak up for the issues and concerns of EMS as the public health emergency deepened. Rob, Matt and Gary discuss the issues, challenges and successes of the last 365 days.

The conversation also turns to vaccine hesitancy, PPE fatigue and the current legislation involving the provision of treatment in place and the hurdles still to jump.

Read Rob’s article marking one year of COVID-19: “Adapting to survive: How COVID-19 defined EMS” and listen below for an audio version and the discussion.

Inside EMS · Zavadsky and Ludwig on Treatment in place hurdles: EMS One-Stop with Rob Lawrence

American Ambulance Association Coronavirus (COVID-19) EMS One-Stop With Rob Lawrence Fitness & Health IAFC Legislation and Funding NAEMT Safety Telemedicine Treat in Place Vaccine

Rob Lawrence

Rob Lawrence has been a leader in civilian and military EMS for over a quarter of a century. He is currently the director of strategic implementation for PRO EMS and its educational arm, Prodigy EMS, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and part-time executive director of the California Ambulance Association.

He previously served as the chief operating officer of the Richmond Ambulance Authority (Virginia), which won both state and national EMS Agency of the Year awards during his 10-year tenure. Additionally, he served as COO for Paramedics Plus in Alameda County, California.

Prior to emigrating to the U.S. in 2008, Rob served as the COO for the East of England Ambulance Service in Suffolk County, England, and as the executive director of operations and service development for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust. Rob is a former Army officer and graduate of the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served worldwide in a 20-year military career encompassing many prehospital and evacuation leadership roles.

Rob is a board member of the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI) as well as chair of the American Ambulance Association’s State Association Forum. He writes and podcasts for EMS1 and is a member of the EMS1 Editorial Advisory Board. Connect with him on Twitter.