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Emergency Medical Service Program (EMS Program)

The Forest Service has a responsibility to its employees to ensure they receive prompt and professional emergency medical care in the event of an emergency. This is especially true given the nature of natural resource work where injuries and illnesses can happen far from hospitals, ambulance access, and other emergency services.

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service shield.
Emergency Medical Services, Star of Life. Three crossed rectangles forming a star, and a snake wrapped around and climbing a stick or pole in the center.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program is an agency authorized program per directive Forest Service Manual 6900 and allows agency credentialed EMS providers to render emergency medical care. The National EMS Medical Director and cadre of Local EMS Medical Advisors (LEMAs) provide medical direction to agency medical personnel. Providers follow guidance per the Protocols and Procedures medical document and per their LEMA.

The EMS program is supported by the National EMS Program Office in Washington DC and a network of emergency medicine physicians and EMS coordinators.

Further inquiries may be directed to: SM.FS.EMS@usda.gov (please include topic in subject line of email).
Forest Service internal website for employees: Emergency Medical Service Program (EMS Program) | Business Operations [internal link]

A wildland firefighter/EMT, smiling, holding a thumbs up while a wildfire burns on a distant hilltop.
Crew Emergency Medical Technician, Liam Finnegan working on the Crooks Fire (Prescott National Forest) in 2022. (USDA Forest Service photo)

 

 

The Directives System is a series of manuals and handbooks used by Forest Service personnel to guide the agency and manage national forests and grasslands. The Directives are also important tools for tribes, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and the public to understand how the Forest Service works.

Forest Service manuals contain legal authorities, objectives, policies, responsibilities, instructions, and guidance regularly used by agency employees to do their work. Forest Service handbooks provide specialized guidance and instruction for carrying out the directions in the manuals. Field issuances are localized supplements to the national manuals and handbooks.

The National Emergency Medical Service Program is authorized per Forest Service Manual 6900 (FSM 6900).

Forest Service Manuals

A group of emergency medical technician students conducting patient evacuation training at night.
Night mock incident where EMTs training to provide medical assistance and extraction. (USDA Forest Service photo)

The interdisciplinary Emergency Medical Services program is supported by the Office of Safety & Occupational Health (OSOH) and Fire & Aviation (FAM), and others as applicable. At the regional and unit levels, the programmatic support structure (e.g., management, implementation, funding) reflects the local needs.

EMS Providers are predominately forestry technicians (e.g., wildland firefighter, trail crew, recreation, silviculture, wildlife) and Law Enforcement & Investigations officers, but may also be from other job series (e.g., deputy forest supervisor, reality specialist, administrative support assistant).

People standing around a table watching an instructor providing emergency medical training on a training mannequin.
A Local EMS Medical Advisor (LEMA) providing practical emergency medical training to students in a classroom. (USDA Forest Service photo)

Medical oversight is an essential requirement of an EMS program to ensure that treatment is based on sound medical concepts (FSM 6931, Components of Medical Oversight). Dr. Michelle M. Curry is the agency National Medical Director and is located in the Washington Office, Office of Safety and Occupational Health, Emergency Medical Services.

The national medical director provides overall medical direction and oversight for the FS EMS Program (FSM 6900, Emergency Medical Service sec. 6904.3, Responsibility), and works with the Local EMS Medical Advisors (LEMAs; i.e., physicians). LEMAs provides medical direction and oversight to the EMS providers of an individual unit (e.g., Shoshone National Forest). The physicians are experienced in emergency medicine, wilderness and austere environments. They are an essential part of ensuring agency providers are properly trained and prepared. LEMAs provide medical guidance, quality assurance, review patient care reports, provide training and supervise skill proficiency checks. In addition, a subset of LEMAs serve as part of the agency’s National EMS Advisory Committee.

Emergency Medical Service providers work directly with the unit and regional EMS coordinators, as well as Local EMS Medical Advisors to be field ready. This includes but is not limited to credentialing, continuing education trainings, skill proficiency checks, scope of practice authorizations, and procuring supplies/equipment/medications.

A young adult law enforcement officer in uniform, kneeling down next to a K9 dog.
K9 Office Melissa Wise and K9 Kyra participate in educational outreach at the 2021 Capital Christmas tree celebration. (USDA Forest Service photo)

The EMS program is managed at multiple levels with national oversight, medical direction, guidance and support from the Forest Service Washington Office - National EMS Program Office. In addition, the program is managed by regional EMS coordinators, and most units have an EMS coordinator to oversee the local needs and implementation. Law Enforcement & Investigations Officers are supported at their unit and/or Regional office as applicable, with additional support from the Assistant Director of FS-LE&I-WO-Enforcement & Liaison.

Please contact the National Emergency Medical Services Program Office for additional information.

  • Forest Service EMS Program – General Mailbox

  • EMS Program Management Specialist

    • Robert “Bob” Ehrlich, EMTP, COR-III, P/PM-III

  • National Medical Director

    • Michelle Curry, MD, FACEP, FAWM

  • EMS Program Specialist

    • Stephanie McGovern, MS, WEMT

The purpose of the Forest Service EMS Protocols and Procedures (P&P) document is to standardize evidence-based procedures and to provide the highest level of care for patients. The P&P provides a framework to help EMS providers make decisions when assessing and treating a patient.

Note: The Forest Service EMS Protocols and Procedures are for use by agency credentialed (i.e., authorized) Emergency Medical Services providers.

Access P&P with electronic devices using Paramedic Protocol Provider® (PPP App) by Acid Remap

Available for use on computers (laptops & desktops)

All FS EMS Providers are required to maintain a current agency credential.

People standing around a long table, working on an open wound training aid on the table in front of them.
Simulation training at an annual training event in the Southwestern Region (USDA Forest Service photo)

Agency Requirement
What is a Credential and Why do I need it?

  • EMS providers may be initially trained through a variety of pathways (e.g., community college, Emergency Medical Technician school vendor). Once training has been completed, they can become nationally registered (NREMT) and/or licensed through a state (e.g., Nebraska).

  • EMS providers require: 1) medical oversight, 2) agency vetting, and 3) agency authorization to operate as a provider.

  • EMS Credentialing is required per Forest Service Manual 6900 (FSM-6900). Employees (permanent, seasonal, volunteers, administratively determined, etc.) that are emergency medical technicians may not provide patient care unless the provider has a current agency credential.

Forest Service credentialed EMS providers follow the Protocols and Procedures for which they are agency-authorized. Nationally Expanded Scopes and Locally Expanded Scopes require authorization by a provider’s LEMA. Individual providers with Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification/licensure are restricted to Basic Life Support level unless an ALS Authorization form is approved and on-file in the Nation EMS Program Office.

EMS Providers work directly with their unit EMS coordinator, regional EMS coordinator, and LEMA for guidance, support, and processing of authorization requests.

USDA Forest Service within the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) System

State: US Forest Service
Agency: Unit Name (e.g., Bighorn National Forest)

NREMT Website: https://www.nremt.org/ 

What is Local EMS Medical Advisors (LEMA) Time?
The LEMA Time was a concept developed and implemented by FS LEMAs and EMS coordinators. It is an opportunity for LEMAs and EMS providers to meet at a set time monthly. The topics are varied and focus on the types of injuries and illnesses agency providers may encounter during their natural resource work, which is often in remote, austere environments. LEMA Time is an opportunity for providers to have open discussions with physicians from the Forest Service and partner agencies or organizations. It also provides continuing education credits for EMS providers.

Please email any questions about LEMA Time to: SM.FS.EMS@usda.gov, Subject: LEMA Time.