Ep 17. NAEMT Radio – Maintaining Our Cyber Hygiene

In this edition of NAEMT Radio Rob Lawrence, NAEMT Member and Lighthouse Leadership Mentor talks cyber security and disaster preparedness with NAEMT Disaster Preparedness Committee Chair David Blevins. David highlights the current risks to our office based and vehicle borne IT equipment as well as discussing the types of attack they could (or are) coming under from bad actors, both at home and abroad.

David also talks about the work of the NAEMT Disaster Preparedness Committee as well as NAEMTs position statement on the creation of a EMS only Emergency Support Function (ESF) within the emergency management framework of operations.

Resources:

About the NAEMT Disaster Preparedness Committee

This committee shall advise the Board on ways to strengthen the role of EMS in our nation’s emergency preparedness strategy and response activities.  Responsibilities include:

• Identifying national gaps in EMS preparedness protocols and training for response to natural and man-made disasters, mass casualty incidents, and medical countermeasures, and recommending measures to address these gaps;
• Identifying ways to improve integration of EMS in disaster preparedness planning, communications/interoperability;
• Identifying funding sources to support agency preparedness activities; and
• Increasing understanding among emergency management and public health leaders of the role of EMS in national preparedness.

NAEMT’s Considerable Disaster Preparedness resources: Disaster Preparedness (naemt.org)

NAEMT Position Statement - Federal Emergency Support Function - http://naemt.org/docs/default-source/advocacy-documents/2023-position-statement-on-esf-for-ems.pdf

About David Blevins

David serves as the Director of EMS Education for Roane State Community College. In  this role, he oversees initial education in pre-hospital emergency medicine ranging from Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) and the Paramedic program. He is the primary point of contact for curriculum development and implementation, as well as professional development for a cadre of experienced full-time and adjunct faculty members.

David serves as the chair of the NAEMT Disaster Preparedness Committee and also serves as a Major in the Tennessee Air National Guard.

_{Join the NAEMT}

_{https://www.naemt.org/join/join}