HSPI task force calls for federal leadership of Emergency Medical Services

May 2, 2005 Citing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as a missing piece of the preparedness puzzle, a Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) task force comprised of dozens of EMS leaders is calling for the transfer of EMS from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS). Back to the Future: An Agenda for Federal
Leadership of Emergency Medical Services highlights the high water mark of EMS during the 1970s, puts EMS in perspective with its law enforcement and fire service counterparts, points to the key issues raised by the EMS community and concludes that a reevaluation of EMS at the federal level is necessary.

While DOT might have been the appropriate home for EMS in the federal government during the early years of EMS when its focus was on transporting automobile accident victims, EMS has long outgrown such vestigial ties, the report found. The time is ripe for EMS to move to a more suitable federal agency.

Within the Department of Homeland Security, the report calls for the creation of the U.S. EMS Administration that would lead EMS national policy; be the EMS providers voice in the federal government; examine EMS responder safety issues; collect and disseminate data; be the central clearinghouse for all EMS information, funding and standards; manage national training programs; and conduct research, including needs and capabilities assessments.

The report cautions, Without appropriate representation and integration into the federal governments first responder activities, EMS issues will continue to go unaddressed, and lack of policy coherence and funding will continue unabated. Presently EMS receives just 4 percent of the first responder funding disbursed by DHS, which the task force cites as largely a reflection of EMS not having a strong federal advocate.

Serving in urban, suburban and rural jurisdictions, task force members represent the full spectrum of EMS providers, educators and chief officers from stand-alone local government agencies, fire departments, hospitals, for-profit and non-profit private companies. Co-chaired by HSPI Director Frank Cilluffo, HSPI Deputy Director Daniel Kaniewski, and Assistant Professor Paul Maniscalco, task force membership was supplemented by physicians, lawyers, emergency managers and policy experts with emergency response expertise.

HSPI draws on the expertise of The George Washington University and its partners from the academic, non-profit, policy and private sectors for a common goal of better preparing the nation for the threat of terrorism. HSPI frames the debate, discusses policy implications and alternatives and recommends solutions to issues facing America's homeland security policymakers. By linking academicians and scientists to decision makers at all levels of government, the private sector and the communities we live in, HSPI is working to build a bridge between theory and practice in the homeland security arena.

For a copy of Back to the Future: An Agenda for Federal Leadership of Emergency Medical Services please visit http://homelandsecurity.gwu.edu.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cp,