From the Publisher

     My son's preschool class is staffed by his teacher (a paid staff member) and "Helper Mom," as she is affectionately known to the three-year-olds in class. "Helper Mom" volunteers her time and considerable skills at preschool, allowing the school to spend their budgeted dollars on other programs to benefit the kids. What would happen if "Helper Mom" decided not to help? Tuition would increase, but there would still be preschool.

     What happens when EMS volunteers decide to cut back their hours or quit altogether? People who need emergency medical care don't receive it or wait for long periods of time until another department can be found to respond. While EMS departments can't raise tuition, they can raise awareness. In 2002, the Wisconsin EMS Association (WEMSA) launched a statewide recruitment initiative that met with good results. If your department needs new volunteers, you won't want to miss this article (see page 65 for the full story).

     Although New Orleans is still in the process of healing from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, its EMS system is being rebuilt from the ground up. According to Deputy Director Mark Reis, New Orleans EMS is in better shape than one might think. The agency has an opportunity to standardize and back up communications with the rest of the public safety system, develop and integrate training practices with other public safety departments, and implement a unified vision of the Incident Command System and other organizational structures. With the next hurricane season a mere three months away, there is much to be done to prepare. For the full story, see page 46.

     Please share your questions, comments and concerns with me at kate.kenny@cygnusb2b.com. Thank you for your time