EMS Leadership Charts New Course: Focus on Financial Sustainability, Workforce Resilience and Advocacy

The EMS Chiefs, Managers, and Directors (CMD) met in Colorado Springs on September 24, 2025, for a crucial brainstorming and prioritization session, aimed at defining future educational topics and initiatives for EMS leaders. The discussions were detailed, honest and invigorating.

The day-long retreat was sponsored by Jon Cloutier, CEO and founder of LifeMed SAFETY. A paramedic himself, Jon has been active in EMS for decades and we extend our gratitude for his support of the EMS Chiefs, Managers, and Directors section of EMSAC. LifeMed Safety is a full-service EMS equipment partner — offering new and re-certified equipment sales, certified maintenance, preventive service programs, and rapid repairs.

Understanding the EMS Agency Affiliation Requirement Under the United States EMS Compact

When the United States EMS Compact was first enacted, it represented one of the most significant advancements in the history of our profession: a way to legally extend an EMS clinician’s ability to practice across state lines. Yet, even as the Compact continues to expand—Colorado was the first state to join the EMS Compact, and today there are twenty-five member states—one question remains among the most frequently asked by clinicians, administrators, and regulators alike: What does “EMS Agency Affiliation” really mean?

EMSAC ADVOCACY

The federal EMS on the Hill Day is approaching and there is a major shift in all things government that influence EMS, from billing to grant funding and, possibly, regulatory oversight.

Starting first with the Medicare extenders.  For those not familiar with it, EMS providers have been paid a Medicare extender bonus.  House Bill 10545 passed by the US Senate and the House of Representatives extended the temporary Medicare ambulance add-on payments of 2% urban, 3% rural and 22.6% super rural through March 31, 2025.  Most ambulance operations have a payer mix of at least one-fourth or more that are Medicare patients.  Colorado’s rural ambulance services stand to lose 22% of their reimbursement.

March 2024 Advocacy Update

What do your salary, safe ambo tires, staffing and paid continuing professional education have in common?

American EMS—the national view

Colorado EMS Sustainability Task Force Update for EMSAC Members

By Sean Caffrey, Crested Butte Fire Protection District
EMSAC delegate to the Colorado EMS Sustainability Task Force