Advocates for Emergency Medical Services is a coalition of major EMS organizations that was founded October 22, 2002 dedicated to promoting, educating and increasing awareness among decision-makers in Washington on issues affecting EMS providers. AEMS supports all providers of EMS, whether they are fire, hospital, volunteer, third service, or nongovernmental based, by monitoring and influencing legislation and regulatory activity involving EMS and raising awareness among lawmakers on issues of importance to EMS.

After the September 11th attacks, the country focused its attention on terrorism preparedness and first responders – described as police, fire and other. There was no voice for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Washington policy discussions. To speak up for the EMS community, Advocates for EMS (AEMS) was founded as a coalition of national EMS organizations to develop a unified voice for EMS dedicated to promoting, educating and increasing awareness among decision-makers in Washington on issues affecting EMS providers. AEMS supports all types of EMS providers, whether they are fire, hospital, volunteer, third service, or nongovernmental based, by monitoring and influencing legislation and regulatory activity involving EMS and raising awareness among lawmakers on issues of importance to EMS. AEMS Board of Directors leadership is comprised of members from the National Association of EMS Educators, National Association of EMS Physicians, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, National Association of State EMS Officials. There are also two other Board members representing other organizational supporters and individual supporters

AEMS has grown the coalition adding corporate, organizational and individual members and has succeeded in establishing relationships with members of Congress and staff on Capitol Hill. In addition, AEMS has also worked to establish relationships within the various agencies that have jurisdiction over EMS issues, including the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security bringing to light many of the issues surrounding EMS.

What is our mission?

AEMS’ mission is to promote EMS, educate elected and appointed officials and the public on issues of importance to EMS, monitor and influence EMS legislation and regulatory activity, and raise awareness among decision-makers on issues of importance to EMS. A founding principle for AEMS is to support the needs of allcomponents of EMS in every community across the country.

What can you do?

If you would like to be a voice for EMS, Join Us Now. Or, read through our Learn Our Issues section to find out how you can contact your lawmakers and speak out for EMS.