The National Volunteer Fire Council voted and approved the addition of a new member-based, EMS/rescue section to its council that will be dedicated to issues faced by volunteer emergency medical services departments, NVFC Chairman Philip Stittleburg said. The section replaces the current EMS committee, and its chair will serve on the council’s executive committee.

“This is historic [for the NVFC] because not only did we add a section, but we also created a position on our executive committee for a representative from that section,” he said.

The NVFC formally incorporated EMS into its mission and strategic plan in 1992. The new EMS section expands upon such efforts by providing a forum for EMS volunteers who are attached to fire departments and those who work independently, Stittleburg said. In addition, the section will improve the visibility of the entire EMS community and ensure their interests are represented at the national level, he said.

“It is a golden opportunity for volunteers to have an effective voice at a national level for EMS issues,” Stittleburg said.

EMS is a national issue and the demands for such services will increase, especially with an aging population, Stittleburg said.

“People are getting older and they have a greater need for medical care,” he said. “So I think from that factor alone, it’s a safe bet that we are going to see an increased demand for EMS nationwide.”

The EMS chair will be selected in the next few weeks, Stittleburg said.