NEMSAC dismantled: Inside the fallout shaking federal EMS policy

This breaking-news edition of EMS One-Stop dives straight into the announcement that the National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC) has been dissolved. Host Rob Lawrence is joined by Dr. Brandon Morshedi (NEMSAC chair-elect) and Brenden Hayden (immediate past chair), who explain what NEMSAC is, what it achieved and why its sudden dismissal has left the EMS community frustrated, concerned and searching for answers.

Together, they outline the role of NEMSAC as the sole statutory advisory body connecting EMS to the federal executive branch, describe the hundreds of volunteer hours that went into shaping advisories, and discuss what happens now that years of hard work and documents have been pulled from EMS.gov.

This episode sets the record straight, provides a clear explainer of the process, and captures the disappointment — yet determination — of leaders committed to moving EMS forward despite this setback.

Additional resources:

• How NEMSAC is composed — who sits on the council and what types of expertise are represented

• The NEMSAC’s statutory role advice/briefings at the federal level

• NEMSAC’s key accomplishments

Episode timeline

01:08 – Rob introduces the breaking news: NEMSAC dissolved

02:22 – What is NEMSAC? Brenden explains its statutory role

04:52 – How does NEMSAC differ from associations? Direct advisory to the executive branch

06:42 – Appointments, terms and how continuity usually worked

08:44 – The depth of work: meetings, subcommittees, advisories, letters

11:23 – Examples of major advisories and public comment process

14:27 – Shock: key advisories removed from EMS.gov

19:13 – Explainer: FICEMS and how advisories flow through federal government

26:25 – How members felt when dismissal was announced

30:18 – What happens to unfinished advisories and research

34:20 – Associations’ role in keeping the work alive

35:50 – The advisory each guest is most proud of

39:41 – Lessons learned: influence, unified voice, process

43:25 – Final reflections: leadership, advocacy, and what comes next

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