Government By The People

     In the last 18 months, I have crisscrossed the country, talking with people in EMS. During these travels, I have made a special effort to talk with rank-and-file EMTs and paramedics to learn about their concerns. One message I hear over and over is, "We want a voice in shaping EMS now and in the future."

     EMTs and paramedics want to know that someone is listening to their needs and concerns, and they want to know that those needs and concerns are represented appropriately by people they trust.

     I'm not surprised about this desire. Many people entering EMS today understand that the health of EMS nationally has a big impact on the work they do locally. They learn about what is going on via the Internet, and they know whether anyone is paying attention to the issues that concern them.

     All EMTs and paramedics are concerned about staffing shortages; longevity in the field; funding; recognition parity with police, fire and nursing; worker health and safety; volunteerism and working conditions.

     Veteran EMTs and paramedics are also concerned about not having a voice, and many of them are more cynical. They are not convinced that the usual cast of national leaders-the same ones I see in meeting after meeting (including myself)-are truly representing their views. They have not elected these people and have nothing to do with empowering them. The fact of the matter is, unless these leaders have made efforts to reach out to their constituencies, the aforementioned complaint may well be true.

Perception Is Reality
     I have to admit that this perception of not having a voice is more than a perception. For the past 30 years, it has been a reality. The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) is the oldest and largest national EMS professional association and is the natural representative of EMT and paramedic issues and concerns. And while NAEMT has done a lot of good for EMTs and paramedics, it has not truly been a representative organization.

Of the People, By the People
     Founded in 1975, NAEMT began as a collaboration of state EMS associations (along with the National Registry of EMTs). This origin and the resulting bylaws have influenced 30 years of governance. At no time in NAEMT's history have its members elected the leadership. For most of its history, NAEMT has been governed by a board made up of representatives appointed by member-state EMS associations. Some state associations elected their NAEMT governors, but some simply appointed them. Regardless, the result has been the same: NAEMT officers and directors have been elected by a Board of Governors that was not elected by or accountable to NAEMT members.

     There have been several unsuccessful attempts over the years to amend NAEMT's bylaws and grant members a representative vote. Several years ago, some of the association's officers and directors decided it was time to make a change. Last year, the bylaws were amended to allow the membership to vote for association officers. The bylaws were also amended to allow for electronic (Internet) voting, so members who were not able to attend the annual meeting could make their voices heard.

     With these changes in place, it is time to give NAEMT to its members and give all dues-paying NAEMT members the national voice they want. As NAEMT president, I have proposed (and the Board of Directors has endorsed) a sweeping bylaws change that will allow all directors and officers to be directly elected by the membership. If approved, these changes will allow members to elect regional representatives, as well as president-elect, secretary and treasurer. The changes would also empower the membership's elected leaders to create and dissolve committees in a manner that would promote vitality, productivity and accountability in the various arms of the association. These bylaws changes will be voted on by all dues-paying members during the first part of August (again, a first for NAEMT).

     Talking about votes before they happen is risky business, and you may wonder why I am revealing this information in a national magazine before the vote takes place. I have two reasons. First, NAEMT believes in organizational transparency. We want you to know what's going on. NAEMT is an association for all EMTs and paramedics, and I want to practice what we preach by being open about our business. Second, I believe strongly in the necessity of this change. I believe it is one of the most important things that I can do to lead NAEMT and EMS into the 21st century.

     After all, if the principle of "government of the people, by the people and for the people" is good enough for the United States of America, shouldn't it be good enough for the organization that purports itself to represent the views of our nation's EMTs and paramedics?

NAEMT President Jerry Johnston is a second-generation EMS provider who began his career in 1975 and currently serves as EMS Director of the Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant, IA. Jerry has a BA in business management and economics and is a nationally registered paramedic.