A work group jointly established by the Oregon Medical Board's EMS Committee and the Oregon EMS and Trauma Systems Section has been evaluating the pending national EMS changes to determine what Oregon should do. The EMS and Trauma Systems Section has scheduled public stakeholder meetings to provide an opportunity for public participation in that group's proposals. These meetings are scheduled for the following dates:

1. August 18, 1:30 p.m., Eugene Fire and EMS Headquarters, 2nd and Chambers, Eugene, Central Lane Emergency Medical Services.

2. Sept. 18, 9 a.m. in room 1B of the Portland State Office Building, 800 N.E. Oregon Street, Portland;

3. Sept. 23, 11 a.m. at Pacific West Ambulance, 609 N.W. Coast, Newport;

4. Sept. 24, 9 a.m. in Room 100 of Rogue Community College Table Rock Campus, 7800 Pacific Avenue, White City;

5. Sept. 29, 1 p.m. in the La Grande Fire Department, 1806 Cove Avenue, La Grande;

6. Oct. 6, 9 a.m. in the Redmond Fire Main Station, 341 N.W. Dogwood Avenue, Redmond.

There will also be a presentation and discussion at the Oregon EMS Conference, Oct. 3 in Jantzen Beach, Portland.

The sessions will focus on the proposed training and certification standards for first responders/emergency medical responders, EMT-Basic/EMT, Oregon EMT-Intermediate/Advanced EMT, EMT-Paramedic/Paramedic and EMS medical directors; and the definition of EMS agencies.

Please try to attend one of these sessions!

The following individuals served on the committee and spent months going through information so that it can be presented in a consistent and clear manner.

Paul Rostykus, OMB, Co-Chair
Ritu Sahni, EMS Office, Co-Chair
Brent Brotherton, Field Paramedic
Toni Grimes, OMB and Field Paramedic
Charmaine Kaptur, Educator
Jan Lee, Educator
Mark Stevens, Field Paramedic
Bob Leopold, EMS Staff


We want to thank them for their time and dedication!