Newsletters/February 3, 2026

EMS Briefing: Tuesday, February 3, 2026

February 3, 2026
published
Prehospital Academy

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Good morning and welcome to your daily briefing. Here are the top stories shaping our industry and impacting patient care.

šŸ“° EMS News Recap
CA County Approves Vending Machines to Dispense Free Narcan
JEMS

A California county has approved the installation of vending machines to expand public access to free naloxone.

How Pittsburgh’s ā€˜Freedom House’ shaped modern EMS systems
EMS1

A new article explores the pivotal role of Pittsburgh's Freedom House Ambulance Service in establishing modern paramedicine.

Ill. FF/paramedic to referee hockey at 2026 Winter Olympics
EMS1

An Illinois firefighter-paramedic has been selected as a hockey referee for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.

šŸ“‹ Clinical Medicine Updates
SC Is America’s New Measles Norm
JEMS

Health officials warn of a national measles resurgence, creating new challenges and exposure risks for EMS providers.

Understanding cardiovascular risks to first responders
EMS1

A new resource details the significant cardiovascular health risks faced by first responders and offers mitigation strategies.

ICE Fears Keep OR Immigrants From Seeking Medical Care: ā€˜We’re Seeing a Massive Disruption’
JEMS

A report from Oregon indicates that immigrant communities are avoiding necessary medical care due to fears of ICE enforcement.

šŸ“ˆ Operational & Leadership Updates
IN City Improves Response Times, Eases Firefighter Workload with Fourth Ambulance
JEMS

An Indiana city has improved response times and reduced firefighter workload by adding a fourth ambulance to its fleet.

N.C. technical college becomes first in nation to receive voluntary AEMT accreditation
EMS1

A North Carolina college has become the first to receive national voluntary accreditation for its Advanced EMT program.

NEMSQA launches Fla. EMS data quality project with rural focus
EMS1

The National EMS Quality Alliance has initiated a project in Florida to improve data quality with a specific focus on rural agencies.

āš–ļø Legislative Updates
EMS ROCS Act Reintroduced in House and Senate
American Ambulance Association

Bipartisan legislation has been reintroduced in Congress to extend Medicare add-on payments for ambulance services.

U.S. has most expensive ambulance billing, international analysis finds
EMS1

A recent international analysis reveals that the United States has the highest costs for ambulance transport billing.