Join EMS Leaders at Pinnacle 2026 to Shape the Future of EMS
Pinnacle 2026, the flagship EMS conference, will convene July 13‑16 in San Diego to address workforce sustainability, leadership, and clinical innovation. Organizers highlight acute staffing shortages, rising call volumes, and fatigue as critical challenges for EMS agencies. The event will debut the *What Paramedics Want in 2026* Report, offering data‑driven insights into paramedic expectations. Sessions range from burnout mitigation and women’s leadership to drone‑delivered whole blood and retention‑focused strategies.
Lawsuit Alleges Mich. Deputies Failed to Recognize Stroke During Traffic Stop
A federal civil‑rights lawsuit has been filed against the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office and three deputies for allegedly using excessive force on 74‑year‑old Gregg Kidney, who suffered a stroke during a traffic stop on July 6, 2024. The complaint alleges the deputies...
Colo. Medicaid to Reimburse EMS for Treatment in Place, Alternative Transport
Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed HB 26‑1069, a Medicaid‑focused EMS reform that allows reimbursement for treatment in place, telemedicine‑supported care, and transport to alternative destinations. The law shifts payment from a transport‑only model to one that recognizes the clinical services EMS...
Texas City Takes EMS In-House, Names Chief to Lead Transition
San Marcos, Texas, will launch a city‑run emergency medical services (EMS) department later this year, adding EMS as the third municipal public‑safety service alongside police and fire. The city appointed veteran EMS leader Jill Rosales as chief to steer the transition...
Texas City Launches Nurse Triage Program for some 911 Calls
Arlington, Texas, has launched a Nurse Navigation Program that connects certain non‑life‑threatening 911 callers with registered nurses. The pilot, begun at the end of May in partnership with American Medical Response, has transferred 80 calls, with roughly 20% resolved without...
Mich. FD Explores Launching Its Own Ambulance Transport Service
The Cascade Fire Department in Michigan is studying a basic life support ambulance transport program to address a surge in low‑acuity medical calls, which now account for roughly one‑third of its 3,000 annual responses. The township board has approved development...
Colo. Court Overturns Homicide Convictions of 2 Paramedics in Elijah McClain Case
A Colorado appellate court reversed the criminally negligent homicide convictions of Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec, ordering new trials on that charge. The court found the jury had been given improper instructions, though it upheld Cichuniec’s...
Vision FirstNet Users Summit to Highlight Global Public Safety Communications Lessons From the World’s Biggest Soccer Event
The Public Safety Broadband Association will host a featured session at the 2026 Vision FirstNet Users Summit titled “From Kickoff to Final Whistle,” focusing on how FirstNet supported the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Panelists include FirstNet Authority’s Malley Varney, FIFA’s...
Ohio FD Widens Recruitment Search as Certified Paramedics Grow Scarce
Stow, Ohio expanded its firefighter hiring process by adding a new entrance exam and merging the results with the existing eligibility list to broaden the candidate pool amid rising retirements and a shortage of certified firefighter‑paramedics. The department now handles...
Del. County EMS Honors Cardiac Arrest Survivors, First Responders
New Castle County honored 52 paramedics, 186 first responders, eight communications staff, 16 police officers and 20 civilians for their roles in 32 lifesaving cardiac‑arrest incidents. The county logged 709 medical cardiac arrests in 2025 with an 11.5% survival rate,...
Ill. FD Raises Fees for Repeated Non-Emergency EMS Calls
The Schaumburg Fire Department announced a new fee schedule for repeated non‑emergency ambulance calls, charging $100 for the 11th call, $250 for the 12th, and $325 for each subsequent request within a year. The policy targets lift‑assist and household‑help calls...
Mo. Hospital Unveils Appreciation Lounge for EMS Crews
Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri, opened an EMS Appreciation Lounge during National Emergency Medical Services Week. The lounge, located at Freeman Hospital West, features recliners, a fully stocked refrigerator, and a color television. It is designed for paramedics, EMTs,...
Mich. EMS Students Put Rescue Skills to the Test at Beach Training Day
Careerline Tech Center’s EMS program held its annual beach‑rescue capstone on May 6 at Kirk Park, where senior students tackled simulated emergencies such as cardiac arrest, grill explosions and allergic reactions. Guided by Grand Haven Township Fire Department, Life EMS responders...
N.Y. Ambulance Service Lands $500K Hospital Transport Contract
Auburn Community Hospital has agreed to pay $500,000 for access to a city‑run ambulance service for emergency and non‑emergency inter‑facility transports. The five‑year contract, effective July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, requires the ambulance to arrive within 15 minutes and covers...
Md. County Reverses Course, Approves Whole Blood Program for Trauma Patients
Somerset County, Maryland, voted unanimously to launch a whole‑blood program for trauma patients, reversing a month‑old opposition. The initiative will be funded by a state grant of $58,338 per year for five years, allowing ambulances to carry unseparated blood for...