industry issues

Emergency Planning

The American Ambulance Association (AAA) represents ambulance services across the United States that participate in serving more than 95% of the urban U.S. population with emergency and non-emergency care and medical transportation. Because of our role, the ambulance industry is committed to improving communication infrastructures, enhancing coordinated training of frontline personnel, providing better detection and reporting of any emerging biological or chemical diseases, and streamlining efforts to educate the community on how best to prepare and respond to the new challenges of terrorism.

Reimbursement Guidance from FEMA
FEMA recently stated [bury link to h:website\homeland security\FEMA clarification 4-12-02] that ambulance providers are an integral part of our nation’s emergency response system: “state and local entities can sub-contract with for-profit and non-profit ambulance providers. Under current FEMA policy, an eligible applicant [state or local government] may be reimbursed for reasonable costs associated with eligible work such as evacuation and rescue operations during a federally declared disaster.”

Links to Emergency Preparedness and Response Documents

• State Emergency Operations Planning Guidance
• State Points of Contact for Emergency Planning
• FEMA Grant Guidance to States to Secure FY2002 Supplemental Funds
• Department of Defense’s Improving Local And State Agency Response To Terrorist Incidents Involving Biological Weapons
• The AAA’s Best Practices Document
• State Homeland Security Organizational Structures
• Responding to Incidents of National Consequence

Articles for Consideration

• Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Logistical Cost Considerations
• Understanding the Disaster Cost Reimbursement Process
• Bioterrorism Preparedness: The Basics for Ambulance Service Providers

Links to Additional Web Sites

• American Public Health Association
• National Association of EMS Physicians
• National Association of State EMS Directors
• Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• Emergency Response and Research Institute
• Medical Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Information Server
• NIOSH (NIOSH)
• Soldiers Biological and Chemical Command (SBCCOM)
• Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA)