Colorado legislature update - January 2024

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Jan
23

Colorado legislature update - January 2024
By John Seward, Advocacy Committee Correspondent
EMS Director, University of Denver

Colorado lawmakers returned to the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 10 to face a full agenda of familiar issues and long debates on tough challenges like property tax relief and land use regulation. Top of mind for legislators is balancing the state budget which is a constitutionally required endeavor each year.  

We are working hard with our members and legislative champions. We are closely monitoring legislation related to property taxes particularly how it will impact our special district members and county governments. Additionally, EMSAC is pursuing legislation relating to surprise medical billing and EMS system funding.





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EMSAC Region News: R2

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Dec
01

(NEW) EMSAC Region News

Welcome to EMSAC's region news. Each month we will bring you a report from one of EMSAC's 11 regions, from the region's representative on the EMSAC's board of directors. The region boundaries conform to those of the eleven state Regional Trauma and EMS Advisory Councils (RETACs). 

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EMS lights and sirens

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Dec
01
EMS lights and sirens
StatPearls [Internet].Matthew J. Neulander; Daniyal I. Siddiqui; Steven Mountfort.
Author Information and Affiliations

Introduction

At face value, the use of lights and sirens by prehospital emergency medical personnel does not seem to be an area of high-value research or controversy. Drivers are all quite used to seeing emergency vehicles at work on the streets, lights flashing, and sirens wailing.  Both lights and sirens are, and for a long time have been, standard components of EMS vehicles. They are used both to decrease the time it takes emergency medical personnel to respond to the location of an accident, illness, or injury, as well as the time it takes to transport the patient to a definitive care center. They are also used to keep medical providers safe while on the scene of an incident. The judicious and safe use of lights and sirens is a topic that has been well-researched recently[1][2], and the manner in which emergency medical service (EMS) providers use them has changed significantly over time. Their use presents quantifiable risks and benefits, both to EMS personnel and to the public. Like any medical intervention, those risks and benefits need to be thoughtfully considered and measured. This is to allow for the greatest safety for EMS providers and non-medical traffic and pedestrians, and the maximal benefit for the patients being transported for care.



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EMSAC Region News: R3

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Dec
01

(NEW) EMSAC Region News

Welcome to EMSAC's region news. Each month we will bring you a report from one of EMSAC's 11 regions, from the region's representative on the EMSAC's board of directors. The region boundaries conform to those of the eleven state Regional Trauma and EMS Advisory Councils (RETACs). 

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EMSAC region news: R4

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Dec
01

 

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EMS at "Burning Man"

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Dec
01

EMS at Burning Man 2023

One month later
By Jason Kotas
EMS Outreach and Education Program Manager at Children’s Hospital Colorado

It’s been 30 days since I returned from Black Rock City and my experience serving as a medic for Burning Man. I’ve been trying to process what happened and to find just the right words to describe what “it” was like. The fact is, there simply are no words and the topic of how to explain what we were experiencing was a common topic on the playa.

It was all the things. A choose-your-own-adventure city of 80,000 in the desert. I was so honored to be let into the family of Rebel Camp (comprising of about 60 medical volunteers from around the country) and for my field training experience (officially and non-officially) from Bob and Odie.



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Special session includes EMS

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Dec
01
General Assembly Special Session deals with 2023 property tax consequences
By Chris Howes, Howes - Wolf
We are happy to report some good news for EMS from the Colorado State Capitol. 
As you have no doubt heard in the media, a special session was called by the governor to address skyrocketing property taxes. 
The signature bill of the special session was Senate Bill 23B-001 by Senate President Fenberg (D) of Boulder & Senator Hansen (D) of Denver concerning a reduction in 2023 residential property taxes. After amending the bill to require a backfill for Colorado Fire Districts, the Senate Finance Committee passed 001 onto the floor. Our team felt that the bill sponsors should have included Ambulance Districts and Health Service Districts as well, so EMSAC lobbyist Chris Howes testified before the committee that it was a grave mistake to leave out EMS. 
After much lobbying and little sleep, we teamed up with the Colorado Hospital Association to craft and ultimately pass Amendment L.031 to successfully include Ambulance Districts and Health Service Districts, just like Fire Districts. Amendment L. 031 was moved by Senator Chris Hansen of Denver.  The amendment made it through to the final reading and is in the bill as signed by Governor Polis.

Colorado EMS Sustainability Task Force Update for EMSAC Members

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Nov
28

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

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New members of Board of Directors

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Nov
28
New directors from regions 5, 9 elected
At the annual in-person board meeting, held at the 50th Anniversary EMSAC Conference in November, two new regional representatives to the Board of Directors were welcomed and took office.
Region 5,  Central Mountains

Brandon Daruna is the CEO of Eagle County Paramedic Services. Starting his career as an EMT/Vigor in New Orleans, he obtained his EMT-I and Paramedic certifications from Delgado College and Charity Hospital. He later served as a paramedic and educator for West Jefferson Medical Center EMS before relocating to Colorado in 2003. During his first decade in Colorado, he worked as a Captain for Northglenn Ambulance and an FTO with the Denver Health Paramedic Division.

In 2018, Brandon obtained his MBA from the University of Denver, which shifted his focus to leadership and management education in emergency services. He currently teaches Public Safety Leadership as an adjunct professor at the university, with the aim of bringing leadership and management education to emergency services.

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Region 7 profile

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Sep
29

EMS Around the State
Region 7 Profile

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First Responder Night at the Colorado rockies

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Sep
29
First Responder Night at the Colorado Rockies!
Denver Paramedic Division Deputy Chief Brent Stevenson ably represented EMS at Coors Field last night.
Along with law enforcement officers from Grand County and firefighters from the Colorado Firefighters Calendar, Brent was there to be recognized by the Rockies — on the giant video scoreboard — and the fans for the critical work our “FRs” do.
It was a meh game until the end, with the Rockies getting their first run in the 8th. Then coming from behind to win in the bottom of the 9th!
Look for exciting news about next year's First Responder Day at the Colorado Rockies at EMSAC's 2023 Colorado State EMS Conference in November!
#firstrespondernight  #coorsfield

EMSAC Region 6

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Aug
22

 

 

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2023 Sucess at the State Capitol

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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May
19

 

EMS ADVOCACY

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Protecting EMS agency funding in the legislature

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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May
11

ADVOCACY

As the Colorado General Assembly's 2023 session winds down with two weeks remaining, EMSAC continues to advocate sensible funding of EMS services that depend upon a mill levy. EMSAC President Scott Sholes addressed the leadership of the legislature regarding potential last minutes bills intended to deal with property taxes and their impact on EMS.

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The Surprise Billing Act—and why ambulance services are not yet included

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Mar
15

Advocacy and public education

The Surprise Billing Act—and why ambulance services are not yet included

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EMS Agency Crises across the nation

by: Howard Paul
Category: News Articles
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Feb
17

EMS News Blog

EMS Agency Closures

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EMS advocacy work 2023-2-14

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Feb
17

Advocacy Committee news

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2022 Colorado State EMS Conference thanks

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Jan
19

November 23, 2002

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2022 was certainly eventful for EMSAC, being a year of changes and accomplishments.

by: Howard Paul
Category: News Articles
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Jan
19

2022 was certainly eventful for EMSAC, being a year of changes and accomplishments

By Paramedic Scott Sholes, EMSAC President
EMS Chief, Durango Fire-Rescue (Region 9

 

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Communications committee news

by: Howard Paul
Category: General Discussions
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Jan
19

 

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