John is also a history buff; writing and collecting EMS history. He holds 3 degrees, including an MBA. John resides in California and is employed with the Central California Emergency Medical Services Agency.

Over the years I have been involved in EMS, the one thing I have observed is how many truly intelligent people are attracted to the field and make contributions. Bright stars that shimmer in our midst and leave a lasting effect for future generations.

In his recent column, Carl L. Moen wrote about " End of an Era" marking the passing of two visionaries, James O. Page and Nancy Caroline, M.D., both of whom had dramatic impacts on the advancement of EMS. 

EMS as a concept was borne out of a study done by the Federal Highway Administration in the 1960's when they commissioned Dunlap & Associates to study the carnage that took place annually on the Nation's highways. Over 46,000 fatalities each year in traffic accidents and over 400,000 disabling injuries, many of which could have been prevented. 

In the course of the study, highway design, construction and maintenance, automobile design and medical care were the primary points of focus. It is from this study and the subsequent document, "Death And Disability, The Neglected Disease" that produced the seeds of change. Automobiles, highways and medical care started changing for the better.

Visionaries appeared in EMS and lead the way to lasting changes.

Dr. Walter A. Hoyt, Jr., M.D., Chairman of the Committee on Injuries of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, who in 1967, undertook the task of putting together a task force of dedicated Physicians to formalize the training of ambulance personnel. With doctors J. D. Farrington, M.D., Oscar P. Hampton, M.D., Charles A. Rockwood, Jr., M.D., Arthur S. McFee, M.D., James D. Ransom, PhD., Sam F. Seeley, M.D., and George E. Spencer, Jr., M.D., the first EMT training program was developed.

Soon after, Dr. Farrington and Rocco V. Morando developed a testing and certification process and created the National Registry of EMT's, which is the standard testing platform used by most states for both EMT and Paramedic certification today.

In the late 1960's a policeman in San Diego, Glenn Hare, was running ambulance calls in a police station wagon, wanted to provide a mechanism for femur fractures that was better then the old Thomas half-ring splint and triangle bandages. His invention, the Hare Traction Splint was shear genius.

Dr. Archer S. Gordon, M.D., made it his life's work to make CPR available to as many people as possible.

E.V. Kuhlman, who in 1972 put in to place the first hospital based helicopter system to respond to and provide rapid transportation of trauma patients in Denver, Colorado. Most aeromedical systems today are based on Kuhlman's model. 

Surgeons Henry Cleveland, M.D., J. Cuthbert Owens, M.D., Cleve Trimble, M.D., and R Adams Crowley, M.D. developed Trauma Centers to rapidly address surgical intervention within the first Golden Hour. 

Even the way medical calls were received and dispatched was revolutionized when Dr. Jeff Clawson, M.D. developed the concept of Priority Medical Dispatch. This was then adopted and a formalized training program and text was developed when one of my former Paramedic classmates, Kate Boyd Derncoeur became involved. Today there is a National Training Standard and certification because of their efforts and contributions.

EMS System design and performance was addressed when Jack Stout proposed Public Utility Models, System Status Management, Performance Contracts, and helped design the very first Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, specific to EMS needs. This gave communities the ability to monitor and measure the performance of their EMS providers. From this the response time standards were developed that most communities use.

The mere fact that you are reading this is because a visionary, Valerie DeFrance wanted to make current EMS information, training and news that impacts the entire EMS community, more accessible over the Internet medium.

The fact is, most people who enter EMS leave after a three year period. Their tenure is short and their contributions are minimal. However, there are those who will come, have a vision, and make an impact on all of us for generations to come.

Who and where are the next visionaries ?