Advocating for the Field EMS Bill

During the February 2014 EMS Today conference I visited with my Congressional representative, Ron Kind, of Wisconsin’s 3^rd District to discuss the Field EMS Bill. Our discussion was the culmination and continuation of advocacy efforts to support the Field EMS Bill. These are the advocacy steps I have followed.

Get Informed

Start by visiting the NAEMT Field EMS Bill website. There you will find information about the Field EMS Bill, the current congressional co-sponsors, the EMS associations and trade organizations that support the bill and documents you can print and share.

Talk to Field EMS Bill advocates. NAEMT can connect you with advocates for the Field EMS Bill in your state or region. I also learned about the Field EMS Bill from Chris Cebollero, Don Lundy, and Scott Matin. NAEMT staff are available to answer questions about the Field EMS Bill. The page, Myths and Facts, is especially helpful.

Ask for Support

An important component of support for the Field EMS Bill is for all EMS practitioners to contact their Congressional representative. Follow the steps on the NAEMT Engage your U.S. House Representative on H.R. 809 website to email your support for the Field EMS Bill. 

In addition to e-mailing your support, you can also call your representative's office in Washington, D.C., as well as their office in your district. Calls from constituents are appreciated and probably don’t happen as often as you think.

Another great way to ask your representative to co-sponsor the Field EMS Bill is to participate in EMS on the Hill Day. On March 26, EMS practitioners from around the United States will gather in Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress about the challenges facing EMS and addressing those challenges through the Field EMS Bill. Register now for EMS on the Hill Day.

Face to Face Meeting

Before my visit with Rep. Kind I closely reviewed and re-read the NAEMT information sheets about the Field EMS Bill. Since I only had a 15-minute appointment, I prepared and practiced a set of “talking points” for conversation about the Field EMS Bill and how it impacts the 3^rd District of Wisconsin.

Rep. Kind welcomed me into his office. He was accompanied by one of his legislative assistants who took copious notes during our conversation. Rep. Kind had many questions about my work, my family, and life in the district. I worked diligently to keep circling the conversation back to EMS practitioners and the importance of his support for the Field EMS Bill.

Call For Action

As our appointment neared completion I asked Rep. Kind to become a co-sponsor of the Field EMS Bill before EMS on the Hill Day. He and his legislative assistant assured me they would review the Field EMS Bill.

Follow-Up

My advocacy for the Field EMS Bill is not done. Shortly after the meeting I sent Rep. Kind an email with a link to the Field EMS Bill and my appreciation for the meeting. A few weeks before EMS on the Hill Day I am planning to send another e-mail to his office, as well as call his office to continue to encourage him to co-sponsor the Field EMS Bill.

Your Turn

The Field EMS Bill needs your support. Visit the website and contact your representative. Ask your representative to become a co-sponsor. 

Greg Friese, MS, NREMT-P, is the director of education and communication for CentreLearn Solutions, LLC. He specializes in the development, production and distribution of online education for emergency responders. Greg is a leading advocate for the use of social media by EMS agencies and training organizations. Greg is a regular conference presenter, podcaster, the founder of the EverydayEMSTips.com blog, marathon runner, and participant in many online EMS communities.