Blog

Nicholas Wagner Selected as the 2025 – 2026 Recipient of the Jack Stout EMS Fellowship for Leadership Development 

PLATTE CITY, MO — Nicholas Wagner, Captain at Montgomery County (Md.) Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS), has been named the 2025 - 2026 Jack Stout EMS Fellow. Endowed by FirstWatch, the fellowship was created in collaboration with the Fitch EMS Foundation.   “Being selected for this opportunity is both an honor and a call to action,” says Wagner. “It represents a meaningful step forward in my leadership journey and also a chance to bring back innovative ideas that will strengthen...

Paramedic Chiefs of Canada – Burden of Command: Leading Others at the Expense of Yourselves

The session features research highlights as they pertain to the psychological health and well-being of paramedic leaders in Canada, and a showcasing of the results from a recent pilot study with paramedic leaders in Eastern Ontario. Planned activities throughout the session are intended to promote the generation of ideas, the sharing of information.

Paramedic Chiefs of Canada – The Preburn Project: Preventing Burnout by Predicting Compromised Wellness in EMS Workers

View this in-depth exploration of the innovative Preburn Project: Preventing Burnout by Predicting Compromised Wellness in EMS Workers. This session is designed for EMS directors, EMS administrators, paramedics, dispatchers, mental health professionals and researchers who are committed to improving the well-being of frontline EMS workers.

NEMSQA Wins Nicholas Rosecrans Award for Reducing Ambulance Crashes with Lights and Siren Initiative

LAS VEGAS, NV (September 18, 2024) – The National EMS Quality Alliance (NEMSQA) was honored as this year’s prestigious Nicholas Rosecrans Award winner for their exceptional work on the Lights and Siren Collaborative. NEMSQA’s initiative has been pivotal in reducing the risks associated with the use of lights and siren in emergency medical services, improving safety for EMS providers and the public while maintaining high standards of patient care.

Election Safety: Risk Assessment and Preparation Webinar

The upcoming presidential election will be a wild adventure for the U.S. (as well as future elections everywhere). In addition to deciding our vote, those of us in emergency services need to prepare for all kinds of election-related disruption. During this webinar, Bill Ott, the Cybersecurity Strategist for FirstWatch, will address: Cybersecurity Threats, Polling Place Safety, Election-Related Violence, Post-Election Unrest, Foreign Interference, and Voter Intimidation and Harassment. Our Data Analyst, Valerie Popovich, will also show you how geofencing and triggers...

Public Health Emergency of International Concern – Mpox Clade I

The likelihood of a large outbreak of Mpox Clade I or I b is low outside of Africa, but isolated cases or outbreaks are possible. This post provides an early alert to First Responder Agencies, especially those that do EMS, to make sure their agency is ready if Mpox should occur in your area, to reduce the risk of responders being exposed to & developing Mpox.  There will be some suggestions for initial preparation for Mpox to get you started....

Pinnacle Webinar Series – Tackling Overdoses with Real-Time Data

Overdoses continue to plague communities throughout the US and Canada. One North American EMS system recently had 245 overdoses in a single day. Identifying, tracking, and mapping overdoses is key to effective intervention. During this engaging session, we explored cutting-edge technology that EMS systems use to tackle this problem in near real-time.

Mary E. Meeks Selected as the 2024 – 25 Recipient of the Jack Stout EMS Fellowship for Leadership Development

PLATTE CITY, MO — Mary E. Meeks, EMS District Chief for Chatham Emergency Services (CES), headquartered in Savannah, Ga., has been named the 2024 - 25 recipient of the Jack Stout EMS Fellowship. Endowed by FirstWatch, the Fellowship was created in collaboration with the Fitch EMS Foundation. The Fellowship is named in honor of the late Jack Stout, widely regarded as the father of high-performance EMS systems. It aims to provide a platform for chosen individuals...

Celebrating Pride Month at FirstWatch: Honoring Our LGBTQ+ Team Members

As we step into June, FirstWatch is proud to celebrate Pride Month, a time dedicated to honoring the vibrant and diverse LGBTQ+ community. This month serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusion, acceptance, and the ongoing struggle for equality. At FirstWatch, we believe that our strength lies in our diversity. Our LGBTQ+ team members are integral to our success, bringing unique perspectives, creativity, and passion to our workplace. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone...