Vermont Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Discussions during the meeting focused on strengthening relationships between the Health Department (VDH) and the Committee, emphasizing professional engagement with VDH staff. The committee reviewed the structure and logistics of the EMS Education Council, which is a formal sub-group, with plans to formalize membership at the February meeting. The legislative report, which was submitted on time, prompted discussion regarding the need to clearly distinguish between personal expertise and committee consensus in future testimony, especially concerning paramedic deployment. Extensive discussion was held regarding data quality and interpretation limitations in system-level analysis; a motion was carried authorizing the chair to request the legislature amend the DEVA Ambulance Provider Tax Form for additional reporting elements. Financially, the committee approved a motion to contract again with MedOps for technical writing, project coordination, and analysis support, capping the contract at $100,000. The committee nominated and unanimously approved Drew Hazelton to continue as chair for calendar year 2026 and appointed Pat Malone as vice-chair. Future work includes designing a statewide EMS system, developing a budget review framework, and creating a five-year statewide plan, both due to the legislature by December 15, 2026. A motion was passed authorizing the purchase of a laptop computer and A/V equipment up to $5,000.