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This Week in EMS: A Recap for Feb. 10 - 16, 2007
President Bush's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2008 includes funding changes that would affect the EMS community.
This exclusive article by EMSResponder.com analyzes some of the key issues: Bush Budget Proposal Mixed News for EMS.
The article notes that the budget proposes the establishment of a new office within DHS to handle health and medical affairs. The office would "develop medical readiness, interagency planning and advocate for the medical first responder community." According to Bush's spending plan, the office would also promote EMS issues to ensure that responders receive the funds necessary to prepare for and respond to catastrophic incidents.
On the flip side, proposed budget cuts included the elimination of funding for EMS for Children programs and a 90 percent reduction in funds for Rural Health. Read the full article for further details.
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Another popular feature on EMSResponder.com this week was a look back at the early days of a truly unique EMS service: that of Freedom House Enterprises Ambulance Service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
What began in the mid-1960s as a way to give unemployed black residents of Pittsburgh's Hill District jobs driving trucks, evolved into a minority-run ambulance service that was in the vanguard of the civil rights movement and modern emergency medicine.
Read more at: Pittsburgh EMS Pioneers Honored on 40th Anniversary.
Reminders for EMS Responders:
Applications are due this Friday, Feb. 16 for positions on the new national advisory committee on EMS, which will make recommendations to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Office of EMS. To read more about this council go to: National EMS Advisory Committee Established. To find the full application instructions, click here for the online text or here for the pdf.
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Also, don't forget that EMS Magazine is looking for your nominations for the 22nd Annual EMT/Paramedic of the Year Award, sponsored by Braun Industries and ZOLL Medical Corporation. For full contest rules and instructions please visit www.emsresponder.com/paramedic.
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Finally, to submit a website for consideration in this year's EMS Magazine annual website review, please e-mail your suggestion to website editor Heather Caspi at Heather.Caspi@cygnusb2b.com.
Other top headlines on EMSResponder.com this week:
