MINUTES OF THE
FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY 
MEDICAL SERVICES (FICEMS)

DATE AND TIME:

June 6, 2002    10:30 a.m.

LOCATION:

National Emergency Training Center
Room S-113
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD  21727

MEMBER AGENCY 
REPRESENTATION:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Mr. Jeff Dyar
Acting FICEMS Chairperson
United States Fire Administration (USFA)

Mr. Lou Bloom
United States Fire Administration

Ms. Cathy Broughton
United States Fire Administration

Ms. Susan Hernandez
United States Fire Administration

Mr. Bill Troup
United States Fire Administration

Department of Agriculture
No Representation

Federal Communications Commission
No Representation

Department of Defense (DOD)
No Representation

General Services Administration (GSA)
Mel Globerman

Department of Health and Human Services 
(DHHS)
Mr. Paul Moore
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH)

Ms. Nancy Romano
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH)

Department of Interior
No Representation 

Department of Transportation (DOT)
Captain Art French, M.D.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
(NHTSA)

Department of Veteran Affairs
No Representation

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
No Representation

Department of Labor
No Representation 

OTHER FEDERAL 
ATTENDEES:

Department of Commerce (DOC)
Ms. Lula Lathan
National Technical Information Service

Ms. Patricia Gresham
National Technical Information Service

Ms. Jeanette Young Reese
National Technical Information Service

Department of Justice (DOJ)
No Representation 

OTHER ATTENDEES 
PRIVATE SECTOR:

American Ambulance Association (AAA)
Mr. Kurt Krumperman

American Society for Testing and Materials 
(ASTM)
Mr. Pete Chambers

Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI)
Mr. David Bradley

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
Captain Christine Woodard

Mr. Barry Jacobs

International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
Mr. Jonathan Moore

IOCAD
Mr. Murrey Loflin

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
Mr. Joe Robison

Acting FICEMS Chairperson Mr. Jeff Dyar called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m. in 
place of the FICEMS Chairperson Mr. Hugh Wood.

I.	ANNOUNCEMENTS:

There were no announcements made.

II.	APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

The Acting Chairperson requested approval of the FICEMS meeting minutes for 
March 7, 2002.  The minutes were approved.

III.	OLD BUSINESS:

There was no old business discussed.

IV.	SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS:

Ambulance Design

Mr. Mel Globerman reported that there was no new action with the 
Subcommittee.  

Mr. Globerman handed out the new Triple K specifications, which will be further 
discussed in the GSA Agency report.

Technology 

Dr. Art French reported that he is still working with Mr. Jeff Rupert, DOJ, but 
little progress has been made since the last meeting.

Dr. French also reported that he wants to make sure that bio-medical equipment is 
included in the technology subcommittee discussions in addition to AEDs.  He 
has made some contacts and plans to follow up.

Counter-Terrorism

Mr. Dyar reported that this subcommittee plans to have the kick-off meeting in 
July.  This most likely will be a joint meeting with another subcommittee, the 
Ambulance Occupant Safety Subcommittee.

Ambulance Occupant Safety

Ms. Nancy Romano, NIOSH, reported that this subcommittee plans to kick-off in 
July in association with the Counter-Terrorism Subcommittee.  The plan is to 
meet quarterly after the FICEMS meetings so that interested parties are already 
together, saving time and travel costs.

Ms. Romano handed out a copy of the solicitation for Occupant Restraint 
Technology (see Attachment I).  Next week, NIOSH is meeting with vendors that 
have shown interest in this issue.

Ms. Romano also reported that NIOSH has been working on having crash testing 
in either August or September, 2002.  They have currently been doing 
investigations with NIST on accidents for what injuries have occurred in the back 
of the ambulance.  So far they have done three reconstructions, and plan on doing 
one more.  They plan to publish the results.

V.	MEMBER AGENCY REPORTS:

NIOSH:  Ms. Nancy Romano 

Ms. Romano reported that in addition to vehicle industry, the aircraft industry was 
contacted regarding the occupant restraint solicitation.

It was asked if Dr. Levitt's research results have been published.  Ms. Romano 
responded that there have been several attempts to get the research results, but 
there has been no formal publication.  It is believed that there is an SAE white 
paper on the results, which was presented at the SAE Conference.  Dr. French 
suggested contacting Cindy Doyle at HRSA to get the results.

Mr. Pete Chambers, ASTM, asked if Ms. Romano had heard anything about the 
crash testing of military ambulances.  Ms. Romano responded that this is still up 
in the air due to funding issues.

DOT:  Dr. Art French

Dr. French reported that he has been re-assigned with the Coast Guard and will be 
transferred to Seattle, WA as of July 1.  Ms. Susan McHenry will be the new 
DOT representative at FICEMS meetings.  The Coast Guard detail is becoming 
part of general healthcare, and it does not look like there will be a direct 
replacement for Dr. French's position.

Dr. French also reported on some initiatives that are in place; EMS Education for 
the Future, as well as patient safety initiatives.

Dr. French recently attended the Federal Trauma Partners meetings, which 
included a diverse group of Federal players.  It is not known how this group 
would interact with FICEMS.

GSA:  Mr. Mel Globerman 

Mr. Globerman reported that the Triple K Federal Specifications for ambulances 
was published on June 1, 2002.  An electronic version (.pdf) can be downloaded 
at www.fsa.gsa.gov/vehicles/buying.  Also available will be printed bound 
documents as well as CD-ROM versions.

GSA will be meeting with the President of ASTM regarding ASTM's request to 
cancel the Triple K specs in lieu of the ASTM standards.

Mr. Globerman also reported that the ambulance contract for Federal agencies is 
expiring.  They have prepared the new solicitation which will be available any 
day now.  This will include Type I, II, and III vehicles, as well as other 
enhancements.  One of the enhancements included is restraints, which the D.C. 
Fire Department has been using with success, especially in the frontal zone.

Mr. Globerman reported that GSA will be attending the Emergency Vehicle 
Safety Conference in Dulles, VA.

USFA:  Mr. Bill Troup, Mr. Jeff Dyar, Mr. Lou Bloom, Ms. Susan Hernandez

Mr. Troup reported that the new version of the Guide to Management and 
Emergency Services Infection Control Program has been published.  

Mr. Troup also reported that this will be a joint effort for Fire Emergency Vehicle 
Safety with USFA and DOT/ITS.  There is a meeting coming up on ways to stop 
the 25% loss of life.

Mr. Dyar reported that there are several training programs in place, including a 
six week advanced safety operations course, and a two week injury prevention 
and healthcare in the community course.

Mr. Dyar also reported that there was a four day conference to capture the 
responses to the World Trade Center and other September 11 responses.

Ms. Hernandez reported that beginning next week, there will be the first of ten 
regional terrorism summits which will continue through March 2003.

There will be a new stamp honoring Fire EMS.  There will be an unveiling at the 
Fallen Firefighter Memorial, and the stamp will picture the raising of the flag at 
the WTC.

Mr. Lou Bloom reported that there will be web-based version of the injury 
prevention and healthcare course available August 1, 2002.  The target audience is 
physicians and preventative medicine professionals. 

Mr. Dyar also reported that USFA has counter-terrorism training programs which 
are being reevaluated.  There will be a regional conference that will help redirect 
the services.  They have been working with DOD to use the USFA materials.  
They would like to focus more on what to provide for first responders and how to 
strengthen the current training.

There is currently $350M worth of fire grants.   The last panel met and is 
proposing for $900M for the next year.  There are still processing getting 
notification to interested parties.

USFA is supporting state training offices for any EMS training with a $40K grant.

The Office of National Preparedness of FEMA is evaluating Federal training for 
counter-terrorism, and has recommended that all training and funding come from 
one office, with FEMA being the lead office.

Mr. Pete Chambers, ASTM, asked if there was anyone who has decided who the 
experts are on counter-terrorism.  Mr. Dyar responded that there is no clear 
answer.

VI.	REPORTS-OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES: 

Congressional Fire Services Institute:  Mr. David Bradley

No report.

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC):  Mr. Joe Robison

Mr. Robison reported that the next NVFC meeting will be in Alaska.

On June 19-15, 2002, there will be the Maryland State Fireman's Association 
Convention and Conference in Ocean City, MD.  This is a free event and all are 
invited to attend.  There will be many vendors and seminars for the EMS industry.

IOCAD:  Mr. Murrey Loflin

No report.

International Association of Fire Fighters:  Mr. Jonathan Moore

Mr. Moore reported that the IAFF is taking part in bi-weekly conference calls 
discussing the Medicare/Medicaid fee schedule, and CMS has been able to 
identify the glitches.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue:  Captain Christine Woodard, Mr. Barry Jacobs

Mr. Jacobs reported that the Northern VA incident command training course 
provides training on how to get from a two-alarm size event to a Pentagon size 
event.

The COG region next initiative is a tiered response for mass casualties, and 
setting standards for the whole region.  Currently Montgomery County has 
already put this into place.

The Alexandria Court House is dealing with the trials of the terrorists.

GWU is hosting a talk with NY Battalion Chief on June 12, 2002.

The new medical director is Scott Weir, who will be starting on July 1, 2002.  He 
is from Connecticut.

Capt. Woodard reported that she attended the Pentagon mass casualty event.  
Many of the same mistakes were made in the EMS section as were at the Fairfax 
event in the fall, especially in patient care.  Although there was triage set up, it 
was difficult to distinguish which section was which.

ASTM:  Mr. Pete Chambers

Mr. Chambers reported that ASTM has published their version of the Triple K 
and that many issues are the same.  This document is an on-going document, and 
ASTM welcomes participation.

Mr. Chambers also reported that ASTM is involved in a subcommittee on 
immobilization devices.  The purpose of the committee is to make standards for 
these devices.  The technology is moving in the right direction, it just needs to be 
quantified.

ASTM is also working on restraint systems.  Currently, the devices are expensive 
which makes it hard for the EMS community to get them.

There is also a committee, the F30 committee, which hopes to provide a seamless 
integration between flight and ground.  Many of the standards are the same.

NTIS:  Ms. Lu Lathan

Ms. Lathan reported that the primary objective of NTIS is to support and to be a 
primary source for scientific technology.

VII.	NEW BUSINESS:

Mr. Dyar reported that since the subcommittees are becoming more active that 
dovetailing the meetings with the FICEMS meeting, either before or after, is a 
good idea.

The NATEK contract has been renewed, and includes an EMS specialist, Mr. 
Bruce Cheeseman.

Dr. French would like to get more DOD involvement, especially with Ft. Detrick 
around the corner, as well as Federal Fire Departments.  Mr. Troup responded that 
in the past he kept inviting members from each individual military branch. 

VIII.	NEXT MEETING:

Date and Time:	September 5, 2002, 10:30 a.m.

Location:		USFA, Emmitsburg, MD
      Building/Room Number TBD

IX.	ADJOURNMENT:
With no further comments, Acting Chairperson Dyar adjourned the meeting at 
11:55 p.m.
FICEMS Meeting Minutes    		June 6, 2002
FICEMS Meeting Minutes    		June 6, 2002
	- 8 -
	- 9 -
	- 1 -