Networking in Washington

     I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve in the role of publisher of EMS Magazine. Although I am new to the position, I am not new to the audience, and I look forward to the opportunity and responsibility to be a part of such an honored profession.

     My first official engagement as publisher was attending the Congressional Fire Services Institute's 18th Annual National Fire & Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars on April 6 in Washington, DC. This annual event gives public safety leaders the opportunity to meet with Congressional leaders and administration officials to discuss legislation that impacts the needs of responders nationwide. I attended the event as a guest of the National Association of EMTs (NAEMT) and spent much of the day meeting with members of Congress and the board of directors of NAEMT to discuss specific issues impacting EMS today. In addition, we had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Jeffrey Runge, chief medical officer for the Department of Homeland Security, to get his views on how we might be able to best raise awareness on Capitol Hill of the specific funding needs of the EMS community.

     The events of the day culminated with a reception and dinner that provided an opportunity to network with some of the leading names in the fire and EMS industries. R. David Paulison, the newly named director of FEMA, was the keynote speaker at the evening's events and, among other things, he addressed "the magnitude of the work ahead of us" and how he "will work tirelessly to make this entire nation proud of FEMA once again."

     I would like to thank NAEMT President Ken Bouvier and the entire NAEMT board for their invitation and introductions that day and am also excited to announce that R. David Paulison will be joining us at EMS EXPO in Las Vegas, NV, September 25-29 to present the opening keynote address.

     I hope to see you there and learn more about how we can better serve you in future pages of EMS Magazine.