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 Enjoying the show? Email [email protected] to share feedback or suggest guests for a future episode.