KEMSA Annual Achievement Awards • Safety Seal Award Program

The Kansas EMS Association (KEMSA) requests nominations for its annual achievement awards in the categories listed below:

Leadership Awards:         
Lifetime Achievement Award

Individual Achievement Awards:
EMT of the Year
MICT of the Year
Kansas EMS Educator of the Year
Physician of the Year
EMS Support Person of the Year
EMS Administrator of the Year

Organizational Achievement Awards:
BLS (Type II) Ambulance Service of the Year
ALS (Type I) Ambulance Service of the Year
EMS Community Service Award

Nominations must be submitted by hard copy and mailed/postmarked by July 1, 2008 to the KEMSA office, Box 441, Clay Center Kansas, 67432. 

A committee selected by the KEMSA Board of Directors will select winning entries.  Unless noted as “Kansas Award Only” Kansas award winners will be forwarded to the National EMT Association (NAEMT) for consideration in NAEMT Award selection.

All award nominations must be made on the awards nomination form included in the nominations packet.

Persons nominating winning entries must be available to assist in completing NAEMT Award nomination forms.  All Kansas award winners will be honored at the Kansas EMS Association (KEMSA) annual meeting and Awards Banquet in Wichita, Kansas on August 16, 2008 in conjunction with the KEMSA “Last Blast of Summer 2008”.

To download the nominations packet (in word format), click here.
To download the nominations packet (in pdf format), click here.

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In early 2008, KEMSA developed this “Safety Seal of Approval” project to encourage voluntary compliance to a higher standard of safety practice by EMS agencies in Kansas.  Those agencies that choose to make safety a commitment within their workplace will be recognized by KEMSA through an award called the “KEMSA Safety Seal of Approval.”

The time is right in Kansas EMS for a positive, purpose driven project that agencies can embrace for the betterment of EMS as a whole.  This project does not involve regulation or control in any way.  It is purely voluntary and serves to give due recognition to progressive agencies who strive to excel.  It also will establish a baseline of acceptable workplace practice that will increase safety awareness throughout Kansas EMS.

As this project grows, KEMSA will be providing sample operational protocols to address many of the safety practices required to meet the KEMSA Safety Seal goals.  Regardless of the size or type of EMS department you have, the project goals and model protocols are designed to improve safe practice within your organization. 

We encourage you to review the project guidelines below and make every effort within your EMS agency to obtain the KEMSA Safety Seal of Approval. 

To download a copy of the Award Designation Criteria, click here.
To download a copy of the Award Benefits, click here.
To download a copy of the Award application, click here.

Kansas EMS Association
Safety Seal of Approval
Designation Criteria

To be eligible for initial KEMSA Safety Seal of Approval designation, the agency:

• Must be a Service Member in good standing with the Kansas EMS Association (KEMSA)
• Must comply with the following educational, policy and safety practice criteria within their department
• Must complete all applications and supply all requested support materials to the KEMSA Board as instructed

POLICY AND PRACTICE CRITERIA
Education
The applicant agency must include safety related programs within their departmental continuing education program at least annually.

Approved safety topics might include: infection control in the EMS environment; proper use of PPE by EMS responders lifting and moving patients; correct transportation of pediatric patients using child safety seats; other courses designed to increase awareness of on the job hazards faced by EMS personnel or designed to increase the technical skills to prevent injury to EMS personnel or patients.

The agency must mandate an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course that includes course completion certificate such as CEVO-II Ambulance or similar courses. All personnel on their roster must be required to participate.

Emergency Vehicle Operations
The applicant agency must have written emergency vehicle operation policy that includes:

• Guidelines for use of lights and sirens in departmental vehicles that includes conditions under which those warning devices will be used; written guidelines regarding POV response that includes when such response is acceptable and how POV will be operated
• Safety Restraint policy must include written policy that, at a minimum, requires the use of safety restraints by all vehicle occupants (including patients) when the vehicle is in motion unless actively involved in patient care activities that preclude such use; use of child safety seats as appropriate
  Written policy that requires all equipment, supplies and articles be secured while the vehicle is in motion.
• Written policy for acceptable driving practice which includes at a minimum the requirement to stop at all stop signs and red lights regardless of response running code and includes vehicle operation standards regarding speed, traffic laws and crew responsibilities
• Defined driving standards that, at a minimum, requires acceptable driving record criteria, including initial check, annual check and personnel responsibility to report all changes to their driving record.

Infection Control
The applicant agency must have written infection control policy that includes:

• Guidance for proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which includes recommended PPE for various patient conditions of concern; disposal of sharps and biohazard materials and supplies; handling of patient linens; handling and cleaning of EMS equipment contaminated by patient body fluids; disinfection procedures for the interior of the ambulance after patient transport.
• Written policy that outlines a process for reporting possible disease exposures and follow up procedures for those exposures.
• Written policy that outlines an immunization tracking program for all personnel on their roster.

Injury Prevention Activities
The applicant agency must actively participate in at least one injury prevention project within their community annually and will submit substantiating materials about that project with their application

Other Criteria
The applicant agency must present at least one other policy, project outlines or media clippings that show the department's dedication to promoting a safety culture throughout their organization.
This could include: policy requiring the use of reflective vests at all traffic crashes;
policy providing cost free immunizations (other than Hepatitis B) for all personnel;
policy regarding bariatric patients; specialized equipment in service to ensure safe patient
handling and EMS provider safety.

The Kansas EMS Association (KEMSA) assumes no liability or responsibility for operations of participating agencies.

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