SMEMSIC Releases Final Position Paper
July 14, 2008
At the spring 2008 SMEMSIC conference the Board of Directors was charged, by the general membership, with developing a position statement on the Education Standards, National Accreditation and National Registry issues. At a recent board meeting, the board approved the final position paper. You may click on the folder below to view the final position paper.
Please review the document and provide your comments in the SMEMSIC forums by clicking on the forums icon below or contact one of your Board Members directly by clicking here.
Even if you contact a board member directly, we encourage you to post your comments on the forums so that all members will be able to view you comments. Every member comment is important as the Board will be forwarding our final position to the State and we always value your input.
SMEMSIC Develops Information Sheet
May 13, 2008
At the spring 2008 SMEMSIC conference the Board of Directors was charged, by the general membership, with developing a position statement on the Education Standards, National Accreditation and National Registry issues. To best reflect the wishes of the general membership the Board of Directors is requesting your thoughts. There has been some misinformation broadcast on these issues. To help clarify some if the issues an information sheet on the above issues has been developed and is available for viewing by clicking on the document icon below.
Please review the document and provide your comments in the SMEMSIC forums by clicking on the forums icon below or contact one of your Board Members directly by clicking here.
Even if you contact a board member directly, we encourage you to post your comments on the forums so that all members will be able to view you comments. Every member comment is important as the Board hopes to have a position document prepared on behalf of the membership by June 20, 2008
Exam Success Lessons Learned at the Spring Conference
April 2, 2008
The spring 2008 conference in Traverse City was a great success with almost 200 attendees participating in sessions relating to a variety of topics for EMS Educators. During the MDCH report session, it was discussed that exam results show that Paramedic candidates have a greater success with the paramedic exam the when they take the exam closer to the course completion date. The diagram below shows Exam Success From Time Of Course Completion To the Time Taking Cognitive Exam
It appears that we might want to encourage our students to take the exam as soon as possible based on these findings. However, every student is different and we encourage all instructors to look at the data and apply it to their programs if they feel it would benefit their students.
For those who attended the spring conference, the bar code data for attendance tracking is in the final stages of being merged with SMEMSIC records and CEU slips will go out in about 14 days. We will be looking at changes to the way the data is disbursed at future conferences to speed this process up. We hope to see you at our 59th professional development conference which will be held October 9-12, 2008 in Lansing.
House Passes Tax Relief for EMS Personnel
November 13, 2007
Recently, the United States House of Representatives passed the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act, which excludes from taxable income all property tax benefits and up to $360 per year of any other benefit paid to volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel by state and local units of government. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, passage of the HEART Act (H.R. 3997) will result in $994 million in tax savings for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel over the next 10 years. Volunteer firefighters save American taxpayers more than $37.2 billion every year. Unfortunately, statistics show that the number of volunteer firefighters in the country have decreased over the last 20 years even as the average age of volunteer firefighters has gone up. Many communities have discovered that providing benefits to their volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel has a positive impact on retention and recruitment. Taxation of these benefits by the federal government reduces their value as an incentive to the volunteer and creates a significant administrative burden on small municipalities and townships.
Click the logo above to view a letter supporting the proposed legislation. On October 17, National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Connecticut State Director John McAuliffe testified before the House Ways and Means Committee about the need to prohibit the federal taxation of benefits for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel. Since then, the NVFC worked closely with other organizations and members of the Ways and Means Committee to ensure that language providing tax relief to volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel was included in the HEART Act, which also includes various provisions regarding taxation of military income. On November 5, the NVFC, along with three other national organizations, sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee expressing support for passage of the HEART Act. H.R. 3997 which now goes to the Senate, where it will be considered by the Committee on Finance. The NVFC urges its members to contact their Senators and ask that they support passage of the HEART Act.
Information Provided by the National Volunteer Fire Council
SMEMSIC Opens Nominations for Spring 08 Board Election
October 9, 2007
SMEMSIC has opened the nomination process for the spring 2008 Board of Director's Election. There are a number of positions open and nominations must be received by November 15 2007. While we encourage you to register online, paper nomination forms will be made available at the Fall 2007 conference in Lansing.
Click on the folder above to view the nomination form and the positions that are open. You must submit a digital picture to be placed on our election information page for your name to be placed on the ballot. Nomination notices will go out to all members with 2008 membership renewals during late October 2007. The actual election will be held in early 2008. Please contact us if you have any questions about the open positions or the nomination process.
In Memory of Paul Dickens, CC-EMT-P/IC
July 19, 2007
The Society of Michigan EMS Instructor-Coordinators mourns the loss of long time member, Paul Dickens. Paul was tragically killed in a motor vehicle crash near Kalamazoo on Tuesday, July 17, 2007.
As many of you know, Paul was a Paramedic IC who was integral in the development of many EMS providers in Southwest Michigan, serving as a field provider, educator, clinical improvement coordinator and EMS agency manager in the Kalamazoo area for many years. Paul served as a Regional Coordinator for SWM Systems and most recently was affiliated with Reading Emergency Unit in Hillsdale County.
Paul’s many contributions to Emergency Medical Services will always be valued, and now, will sorely be missed. Please join the Society of Michigan EMS Instructor Coordinators and our membership in extending our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.
What are MEDDRUN & CHEMPACK Resources?
May 16, 2007
The Michigan Emergency Drug Delivery and Resource Utilization Network (MEDDRUN) program is a state resource intended to bridge the gap between the onset of an event and the arrival of additional resources. The MEDDRUN caches, called MedPacks, contain pharmaceuticals, critical medical supplies and some personal protective equipment and are strategically located throughout the State of Michigan.
CHEMPACK is a federal resource that provides the State of Michigan a supplemental source, of nerve agent antidotes to be utilized in a large-scale event. The CHEMPACK caches contain only nerve agent antidotes and are also pre-deployed at secured sites throughout the state. Please click on the graphic above for additional information. You may also contact us if you have any questions.
SWM Systems Launches New Web Site
June 4, 2006
Swm Systems Inc. has launched a new web site with a new address. The site is still under construction but will offer all of the important services and information you have come to expect from the prior web site. You may visit the new site by clicking on the SWM System logo below. Please be sure to update your favorites list as the web address is a new one.
You may also click on the icon below to view more information from SWM Systems which is included in the region 1 spring news.
Please let us know if you have any questions about the new SWM Systems web site or any of the information in the SWM Systems Region 1 newsletter. We will direct your questions to SWMS.
Information on SWMS & UPEMS Contracts
January 5, 2005
SMEMSIC has received information from MDCH that it appears that funding has been approved to extend the UPEMS and SWMS contracts with the State for fiscal year 2006. While it appears that funding may be present for contract extensions, it is too early in the process to know what the final outcome will be. It is important to understand that this does not mean the contracts have been extended but simply that the possibility now exists for an extension.
Both SWMS and UPEMS have been an integral part of EMS in Michigan for many years and the State had recently announced that the contracts with the agencies would not be renewed. The outcome of any negotiations to extend the contracts will have a great impact on EMS in Michigan regardless what that final outcome may be. We will continue to monitor this situation and post additional information on our news page as it is received. Please feel free to contact us if you have any question or concerns.
MDCH Offers Two New Training Programs
August 20, 2005
The Michigan Department of Community Health Bureau of Health EMS and Trauma Section is offering two training programs in conjunction with the Office of Public Health Preparedness. The programs will be offered throughout the State of Michigan over the next several months. The Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosive (CBRNE) and Weapons of Mass Destruction program will include review of all State Model CBRNE protocols, which will include Mass Casualty Incidents, MEDDRUN and CHEMPACK protocols. The NIMS-ICS for EMS train-the-trainer program is a comprehensive 2 day workshop that has been developed through a partnership with FEMA, NFA, DOT, and NHSTA. Participants must be Instructor Coordinators and will receive certification to train other EMS professional in NIMS-ICS for EMS. To access additional information on both programs, click on the appropriate link below.
 
Both of the above programs are being offered at no cost to participants. You may obtain registration information by clicking on one of the links above to view brochures for each program. Please feel free to contact us if you have additional questions.
Patriot Act Affects EMS Training
July 05, 2005
Apparently within the Patriot Act there is a stipulation that anyone with a misdemeanor or felony record can not be in a healthcare facility under clinical educational circumstances. JACHO is beginning to check hospitals to see if they are doing background assessments on the student’s criminal history.
The State is recommending that you require students to submit a criminal background check as a part of your admission requirements. This can be done through your local county Sheriff’s department or through any Michigan State Police post. By doing this as an entrance requirement, you will have minimized any exposure you may have to claims from the students that you did not inform them of potential negative consequences as a result of their criminal history on obtaining licensure as well as problems from the hospital regarding clinical issues. There are a number of issues and proposed potential legislation regarding this matter before the State Legislators as well as potential Program Approval Process changes. Stay tuned for further details.
State of Michigan Releases New Continuing Education Forms
June 13, 2005
The State of Michigan has released the new forms that are associated with the new continuing education application requirements for the State of Michigan . The changes are comprehensive and include new credit categories and new application requirements.  to view a PDF document which details some of the approval requirements.
The State EMS office is requiring that all CE applications submitted as of July 1 and after be on the new continuing education forms with all of the required documentation attached.
Continuing Education offerings that have already been approved through the end of the calendar year 2005 will remain approved. You will NOT need to reapply for any courses already approved for 2005. If you have any continuing education courses that have been approved that are scheduled to occur in 2006, you will need to resubmit a new continuing education application for any courses in 2006. Again, the official start date for use of all new forms is July 1, 2005. The implementation of the practical hour requirement will be January 1, 2007 . That means that anyone renewing their EMS license after January 1, 2007 will have to meet the new practical hour requirements.
To obtain approval for continuing education programs, the Instructor-Coordinator (I/C) must submit one of the following forms with supporting documentation. Notification of Intent to Conduct a Continuing Education Program Form BHPPA-EMS-202 revised 4/05 (to view) or BHPPA-EMS-202a 4/05 (to view) must be submitted to the Regional Coordinator in whose region the program is being conducted, at least 30 days prior to the class(s). Please note that there are two different forms.
SMEMSIC has made some templates available for members to ease the understanding and application of the new process. to view a lesson plan template. You may also to view a CE credit slip template. The above forms are in a PDF format and we will make the original word documents available in our members section of this web site once that sections redesign is complete.
The State has also updated the Continuing Education Record and you may to view that form. If you have any questions on the above forms or new requirements, please post your question on our forums and we will get an answer for you as soon as possible. to visit the forums and post your question. You will have to register as a forums user at the top of the forums page if you have not already done so.
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