Communication in the New Millenium

The Board of NAEMT has removed my posts to a forum where I am running for office. Anyone who wants to see or know what was removed, please email me: drg1963@hotmail.com

I am also mirroring whatever I post to the NAEMT Election forum here, as I cannot be assured it is or is not being edited by NAEMT, because the 'monitor' does not like what is being written.

I do not condone their editing of my responses, and I have not gotten a satisfactory answer as what is or is not acceptable.

Don Walsh posted a question:

Dear NAEMT Candidate:

I would like your views on how will you reach and support your NAEMT members in good standing if elected.

Respectfully,

Don Walsh
NAEMT Member

My response, unedited, to Don Walsh:

Don,

As previous comments have been removed because the monitors of the forum have felt that they did not conform to the guidelines here, let me advise you that my comments and yours may be edited or removed.

As per NAEMT: “The views expressed here are strictly personal and are not necessarily subscribed to by the association. Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene, unlawful, defamatory, libelous, hateful, or otherwise objectionable content; or have spam, commercial or advertising content or links are liable to be removed by the website administrator. We also reserve the right to edit the comments that do get published”

If you want additional information, or documentation, email me at daniel.gerard@comcast.net

To answer your question:

To reach the members I will leverage resources such as Youtube and Facebook.

For example, NAEMT spent money on a poster campaign to reduce occupational motor vehicle injuries. While it was an honest attempt to reduce injuries, NAEMT nor any other organization collects EMS occupational injury rates, so making an honest evaluation on how the poster reduced injuries, is impossible. Honestly, are posters really the best way to get information to the membership?

EMT’s and paramedics Tweet, watch YouTube, have Facebook and MySpace pages. They text message one another. They email and surf the net at least once a day. The best PSA of the year was done by an EMS agency in Scotland, which was then posted on YouTube and has gone viral around the world ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6biw3LEq_0c )

NAEMT sent out a poster to remind people to buckle up. I disagree with this. This is a difference of opinion, but one that is telling. I feel, in my personal opinion, that this was not NAEMT’s best effort and we owe it to EMT’s and Paramedics to do more, to reach them using forms of media that a broad base of the population is comfortable with.

In regards to supporting the membership, It is our duty to support the membership, and I take this duty seriously. I have worked in EMS in a government configuration for most of my adult life. I have taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and as such, when I see something wrong, regardless of where it is, I am duty bound to stand-up and do the right thing.

I will stand up for the membership of NAEMT.

As an example, 25% of the budget for NAEMT is spent on travel. I feel that this is wasteful and does not benefit the membership. The outgoing treasurer wrote a report on the finances of the Association, and this was one topic that was brought up (please email me at daniel.gerard@comcast.net for your own copy of this report)

I do not think, in my personal opinion, that it is appropriate that that much money is spent on travel. It is more economical to teleconference. I am in a large county in California. I am 10 to 30 minutes from any of my colleagues. We meet frequently on a variety of issues, but we do most of our meetings via teleconference.

I would want to know how much money was spent on travel, by officer, who got upgrades, and who flew first class. I do not feel this is unreasonable for the members to know. We pay dues, we pay to attend classes, we have rights as members of the Association.

Now the Officers of the Association and the Board of Directors differ with me on this. I do not feel that it is appropriate that officers of the Association fly first class, or get club upgrades/memberships. I do not feel that members of the board or officers should be silent on this issue. Again, this is a difference of opinion, nothing more.

Members of the Association have rights. The Officers and the Board of Directors have a responsibility to be prudent with our members money. Our members work hard. Some are struggling, to pay mortgages and to hold onto jobs. We owe them. Again, I will point out this is a difference of opinion on travel.

I want to know how much money was spent on travel, by officer, who got upgrades, and who flew first class. I do not feel this is unreasonable for the members to know. We pay dues, we pay to attend classes, we have rights as members of the Association.

If some Officers or members of the Board of Directors turn a blind eye to this practice, or accept it as fact, I am disappointed that they have done so. I feel this is wrong

I will respect the rights of the members and I intend to honor the membership by protecting those rights and being responsible with their money.

As another example, the current, proposed by-laws change, I feel does not serve the best interests of the membership. NAEMT has always been a breeding ground for leaders in our field. This by-laws change limits opportunities for people to progress in the organization.

Let me note, the by-laws change does not affect me one bit, nor does it affect my opponent. I go to the conference every year, and I pay my own way. I am also an instructor in all of the disciplines of the Association. I have served on various committees for the Association. When I say I disagree with the by-laws change, I am speaking in advice for the membership.

It seems to me, in my personal opinion, that the only people who will benefit from the new by-laws is the status quo.

I would want to hear what the attorney for NAEMT says in regards to the by-laws, and I would want to have the opportunity to view any correspondence in regards to this. If elected, I would want the membership to have the opportunity to view the correspondence, as well as any pro or con statements in support of the by-laws. Please correct me if I am wrong, but except for statements from some of the officers supporting the by-laws change, there were no opposing statements provided, nor was any correspondence provided to the membership between the Board of Directors and the attorney for NAEMT.

It is the right of the membership to view that correspondence, they pay for the attorney through their dues and classes.

If you would like more information, please email me directly at:

daniel.gerard@comcast.net

Respectfully submitted,

Daniel R. Gerard