Webpages

Details

Written by: Scott Savett

Category: Webpages

Published: 09 November 2012

Hits: 0 38377

Here are some frequently asked questions about the EMS Ready Campus program:

Q: What are the submission requirements?

A: Full requirements are laid out in the application packet, but the following summarizes the necessary steps.

1. Ensure your organization's Institutional Membership is paid for the current academic year.
2. Complete all required checklist steps for the Tier you are applying for.
3. Complete the required introductory information and signature pages. 
4. Organize the submission as ordered in the checklist (except for the spreadsheet with your roster/training completion dates and the HVA spreadsheet). Ensure each checklist step has its own individual response, and ensure all responses are either labeled with the question number or are preceded by a divider page indicating which question the response applies to. Ideally, supplemental information submitted should be specific to the checklist step in question. Do not simply submit a full copy of your SOPs (for example) and then reference that copy in the answer to several different questions. 
5. Provide an organization roster (if required) and logs of all required training on the training documentation spreadsheet. (For training courses that require additional documentation on course content, include the supporting materials in the main packet and put the training completion dates on the roster.)
6. Provide the HVA on its own spreadsheet (2025 application version). 
7. Submit items via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by three calendar weeks prior to the start of that year's NCEMSF Conference, or as otherwise listed on the NCEMSF website:
   1. The full document (except the roster/training documentation spreadsheet and the HVA spreadsheet) in (4) as a single PDF file.
   2. A separate roster and training documentation spreadsheet as a single Excel file (though not needed for the application submission, organizations should maintain copies of all training certificates for each member and be able to provide certificates upon request). 
   3. A separate HVA spreadsheet (if using the 2025 version of the program). 

Q: Can we apply for more than one Tier at once?

A: The EMS Ready Campus program is designed to be a process that helps your organization grow. As a result, we do not encourage attempts to meet the requirements of multiple Tiers in a single academic year. Exceptions may be made for groups who wish to apply for Bronze and Silver simultaneously since they already have established involvement with emergency management on their campus and meet all Bronze requirements without additional effort, but requests for an exception must be made in writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and approved. 

Q: What are "right-to-know" reports?

A: These refer to reports (also called Tier 2 reports) on hazardous materials stored on sites, whose reporting is mandatory under the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act. Learn more about these reports and other acceptable options for responding to Bronze Tier requirement B.6.2 on our Application Guidance page.

Q: What is an Active Threat Incident?

Active Threat Incidents are situations where one or more individuals are actively engaged in attempting to harm or kill people in a particular area. The term has replaced Active Shooter Incident in the EMS Ready Campus program and other usage as it is broader than the former term. 

Q: Do all of my members need to take a particular training class?

A: If the application checklist says that a class needs to be taken by all members, then yes.

The FEMA classes specified in the program requirements for all members are free and can be taken online. This allows flexibility for your members to learn at their own pace while still meeting program requirements. Non-FEMA classes in the Silver and Gold Tiers that apply to all members are also designed to be training that is either freely available online or that can be produced by your organization or another campus department, and relate directly to your organization's EMS operations (such as Triage training).

If your organization relies on non-medical volunteers or assistants, the training requirements will still be valid and beneficial and those staff must complete the listed trainings. For example, no specific medical certification is necessary to participate in tasks at an MCI, including triage, but without regular training on the triage system designated in your MCI plan, your non-medical staff will not be able to maintain proficiency in those tasks.

Checklist requirements that apply only to particular members of your organization do not need to be taken by all members, but others may take the class at your discretion. 

For all training requirements, please use the roster and training documentation spreadsheet to record training completion dates for all applicable members (though not needed for the application submission, organizations should maintain copies of all training certificates for each member and be able to provide certificates upon request). 

Q: Who is included when a requirement applies to "Command Staff?"

A: In the application, "Command Staff" should be assumed to include anyone who would take a lead role on a multi-unit incident or event. For most squads, this would be whatever operational ranks/levels are above Crew Chief. For organizations that maintain separate administrative staff who do not have operational responsibilities or do not have supervisory responsibilities (such as a person who only functions as an EMT on scenes but also is responsible for external communications for the group), the non-supervisory administrative staff would not be included. In general, staff advisors who have the ability to assume command of a scene should also be included, however a staff member with administrative oversight but no operational role (like a Director of Risk Management) would not be included. Specific questions should be addressed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for clarification. 

Q: Does EMS Ready Campus offer physical signs for posting on campus like the HEARTSafe Campus program?

A: At this time, the recognition is a plaque or framed certificate which is provided during the Awards Ceremony of each year's NCEMSF Conference, as well as inclusion on the NCEMSF website. No additional signage is available.

Q: Our school says a certain document (such as the Hazard Vulnerability Analysis or Right-to-Know filings) is confidential. How do we submit a response to the corresponding checklist item?

A: In most cases, the checklist item is intended to ensure your group has access to the information; NCEMSF staff do not need to see the original document. As such, a letter from the relevant campus department or administrator attesting to the fact that your group has access to the listed document, has reviewed it, and has applied the information from it to your operations is sufficient. In the case of hazardous materials information, our Application Guidance also specifies alternate sources of information which may be used instead. 

Q: How strict is the grading? The Application Guidance section has a lot of information about emergency planning but we've never written plans before, or we've never conducted an exercise before. 

A: While you read through the guidance and complete the program steps, remember that EMS Ready Campus, like all NCEMSF self-evaluative programs, is designed to help organizations on a path to improve their operations. As such, perfection in all areas (especially in regards to plan development and exercise design and execution) is not essential. Recognition will still be granted even if areas for improvement exist in the submitted applications, and NCEMSF staff can be contacted via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at any time during the process to provide mentorship and guidance. 

Q: Can we use AI to assist with this process?

A: While some AI systems can be helpful at processing or summarizing information, use of AI for this program is not recommended for several reasons.

• The purpose of this program is to be educational. Part of the learning process involves the work required to complete the various items in each Tier's requirements list. Using AI to perform these tasks would dilute or eliminate the educational value of this program. 
• AI systems can have security flaws. Feeding information into these systems, especially as it relates to your squad's or school's emergency response procedures, security procedures, or other sensitive areas could result in this information being released by the AI to other users not affiliated with your organization. Most institutions have policies regarding the use of AI when it comes to sensitive information; reference these policies for further details. 
• AI can be flat out wrong. While AI systems can help with certain menial tasks, you must thoroughly check the work produced by these systems to ensure that they do not contain errors or false information. If you utilize AI for responses to this program and it produces information that is wrong in a way that means your submission no longer meets the program requirements, then you will be at risk of having your submission rejected! It is your responsibility to check your work prior to submission for accuracy and completeness. 

Details

Written by: Scott Savett

Category: Webpages

Published: 09 November 2012

Hits: 0 15800

Here are some frequently asked questions about annual NCEMSF conferences that might be helpful to others:

Q: I don't see a way to register for the conference.  Where can I find the link to registration?

A: You must log into the NCEMSF site to register for the conference.  Once you log in, you will see a "Conference Registration" link under the Conference menu item.  If you have previously attended an NCEMSF conference, you already have an account.  If you forgot your account password, you can have it sent to you.  If you are new to NCEMSF, just create a new personal account and then log in to the site.

Q: Our school is going to pay for our conference registration. How can we register as a group and pay together?

A: While each conference attendee must individually register for the conference, it is still possible to pay as a group. You have two choices:

1. At the end of the conference registration process, each attendee can indicate that they are mailing payment. Then you can total everybody's individual registration fees and send us a single check or a purchase order for the total amount. Please make certain to indicate the names and registration numbers of each attendee on the check or purchase order so that the payment may be appropriately credited. Keep in mind there is a 14-day window between when a person registers and when they will be automatically cancelled if we have not received payment.

2. Log in to the Web site as your group's NCEMSF institutional user and purchase registration tokens (via credit card, check, money order, or purchase order). This allows an organization to pre-pay for a set number of attendees without specifying who will be attending. Once we receive payment for the tokens, you will be supplied with a limited-use token code that you'll give to each of your attendees to use when registering. As they register for the conference, they will enter that code, which will debit your account and set their individual balance to $0.

Please refer to the Fees and Policies page as well as the online registration utility for further details.

Q: Does every member of our organization who is wishing to attend have to become an NCEMSF personal member prior to registering for the conference?

A: Every member of your organization who wishes to attend the conference must register on the NCEMSF Web site prior to registering for the conference. Whether they pay personal membership dues as part of their NCEMSF Web site registration is up to the individual. There is a conference pricing differential for members vs. non-members. All conference attendees will become NCEMSF members for the remainder of the academic year as a result of conference attendance. See the Membership section of the Web site for further details.

Q: Must you be a certified (or licensed) EMS provider to attend the NCEMSF conference?

A: No. We welcome anybody with a relationship to collegiate EMS.  You do not have to be a first responder, EMT, or paramedic to attend, though much of our educational content is geared towards EMS providers.  We do offer administrative content that would be suited for collegiate EMS groupies without a strong EMS background.

Q: Can I earn continuing education credits (con-ed, CME, etc.) by attending the NCEMSF conference?

A: Yes. Following the conference, you will be able to logon to the NCEMSF website, claim credit for sessions attended, and print out your personalized conference CME report. That report may then be submitted along with any other necessary identifiers (address, certification number, date of birth, etc.) to NREMT or your state's EMS regulatory agency for credit by endorsement. Some states may require a copy of the conference program or other information as well. Because the membership of NCEMSF comes from across North America, it is exceedingly difficult and cost prohibitive to set up a system where credit can be directly transmitted to the states and automatically issued for attending a lecture; however, we provide assistance in obtaining credit by certifying attendance and providing supporting documentation that most EMS regulatory agencies accept.

Q: One delegate from our group can't make it. Can we swap out a different person in their place?

A: Yes. If they don't already have an account from attending a previous NCEMSF conference or being a personal member of NCEMSF, please have the second person register for an account on the NCEMSF Web site. After registering for an account, the person should register for the Annual Conference.  When prompted for payment type, they should select "Mail in Payment" or something similar.  Once the person is registered for the conference, please send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. asking for the swap.  Please provide the names of both the person who won't be attending and the person who will be attending instead.  It would make the attendee's check-in experience much more enjoyable if the swap is performed PRIOR to arriving at the conference.

Q: I didn't pay within the 14-day window and I received an e-mail telling me I was cancelled. What do I do now?

A: If you still intend to attend the conference, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request that your registration be cleared out. The system won't let you register for the conference twice. Once we've cleared out your old conference registration, you can re-register at the prevailing rate.

Q: How can I see how many unspent tokens my organization has?

A: You must log into the NCEMSF site as the organization. Once logged in, you should see an item under the Conference menu item for "My Token Purchases." Click on that link and you will see your history of token purchases and their usage.

Details

Written by: Scott Savett

Category: Webpages

Published: 09 November 2012

Hits: 0 3586

Here are some frequently asked questions about the the NCEMSF MERIT Recognition Program:

Q: What are the submission requirements?

A: Full requirements are laid out in the application packet, but the following summarizes the necessary steps.

1. Ensure your organization's Institutional Membership is paid for the current academic year.
2. Complete all required checklist steps.
3. Complete the required introductory information and signature pages. 
4. Schedule and complete a site visit as described in the packet.
5. Organize the submission as ordered in the checklist. Ensure each checklist step has its own individual response, and ensure all responses are either labeled with the question number or are preceded by a divider page indicating which question the response applies to. Ideally, supplemental information submitted should be specific to the checklist step in question. Do not simply submit a full copy of your SOPs (for example) and then reference that copy in the answer to several different questions. 
6. Complete the Excel roster. 
7. Submit two items via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by three calendar weeks prior to the start of that year's NCEMSF Conference, or as otherwise listed on the NCEMSF website:
   1. The full document (except the roster as required for item 1.2) in as a single PDF file.
   2. A separate roster as a single Excel file showing personnel names and documentation of state and/or national EMS certifications. 

Q: My squad does not provide patient care (education-only or interest group). Can we still apply? 

A: Currently, this program is intended for organizations that provide patient care. 

Q: The single PDF may be very large. Is it OK to submit links to items (e.g. SOPs or medical protocols)?

A: Yes, so long as the following criteria are met:

• The submission packet is still organized to match the requirements, in order.
• At the point in the PDF submission packet where the document(s) would be included, a working hyperlink is present to the file(s).
• The file(s) are set that they can be viewed by anyone with the link. Setting files on filesharing sites (OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, DropBox) to "request accees" or "only specific individuals" will not work. 
• The linked file(s) are specific to the requirement they are for. As an example, item 1.9 requires a professional standards policy. If you provide a link in place of putting the policy for 1.9 directly in the submission packet, the link should be only to the specific policy, not to the entire SOP document. 

Q: What documentation is necessary for items in the checklist?

A: In general, if a criterion does not list a specific document or format for showing compliance, then a written statement explaining compliance will be sufficient. If you are unsure, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. prior to submission to receive clarification.  

Details

Written by: Scott Savett

Category: Webpages

Published: 27 November 2011

Hits: 0 13789

Initially introduced at the 2002 Annual Conference, The Richard W. Vomacka Student Speaker Competition is named for an NCEMSF mentor who passed away in October 2001. This symposium is a chance for student lecturers to showcase their presentation skills and earn bragging rights for their collegiate EMS organization. The competition is judged on a speaker's ability to deliver a relevant high-quality seminar to his/her peers - points are awarded based on strength of the submitted abstract, quality of the delivered presentation and audiovisual materials.

Vomacka presentations may be co-presented by up to two speakers from the same institution. The committee will select between six and eight submissions to be presented and judged at the conference. In general, multiple submissions from the same institution will not be selected, but all are encouraged to submit.

For those students interested in participating in the Richard W. Vomacka Student Speaker Competition, please attach a Word Document to an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. including the following information:

• Full name(s) of speaker (as it should appear on a name tag and in the published program with academic degrees and clinical certifications)
• School Affiliation / Campus Based EMS Group and any applicable leadership titles
• Email address(es)
• Telephone number
• A brief biography suitable for printing as well as a current CV and/or resume
• Proposed talk title and abstract both suitable for printing (abstracts should be no more than 200 words)
• A detailed outline of the proposed 45 minute presentation is encouraged as well

The deadline for Richard W. Vomacka submission is January 31, 2014. Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision by February 10, 2014.