I’ve always held a deep passion for Emergency Medical Services (EMS), from when I was a young child up until now, serving my community as a state-certified EMS provider. This petition comes from a place of profound concern about NC House Bill 675, which, if passed, would require all state-certified EMS providers to become nationally registered.
Across the state of North Carolina, EMS agencies and fire departments are already grappling with staffing shortages. Western NC is still recovering from disaster, which makes this staffing issue all the more pressing. Bill 675 will only exacerbate this problem by demanding more from our already strained providers, both in terms of time and money. It will impose an unnecessary financial burden on both current and prospective EMS providers. Staffing shortages are a national issue; according to the National Association of State EMS Officials, over 48% of all EMS agencies reported a lack of staff in 2020.
The money, time, and effort that are needed for obtaining national registration would be better spent addressing the immediate needs of the communities we serve. The potential passing of this bill threatens to stifle the EMS passion I, and many others, have had since childhood, while also straining the important services we provide to our communities. Preventing the passing of NC House Bill 675 is imperative for our Public Safety services to continue operating efficiently. Please, sign the petition and aid us in blocking this unnecessary imposition on our EMS providers.