Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are thoroughly trained and educated in patient care. They put their knowledge and skills into action at a moment's notice to treat patients' illnesses and injuries and to save lives. But what happens when EMS practitioners advance to leadership positions and take on responsibilities beyond patient care? EMS Supervisor: Principles and Practice provides the new or aspiring EMS officer guidance in confronting common challenges faced by those in EMS managerial leadership roles. As an EMS officer, you will be responsible for operations and administration, and the ability to manage and lead will be critically important. EMS Supervisor: Principles and Practice offers an introduction to creating and maintaining a successful EMS organization through chapters on managerial leadership, team building, professional communications, quality improvement, customer service, strategic planning, crisis management, and budgeting. Establishing knowledge and authority in these areas is crucial to success as an EMS officer. The concept of five key business priorities (5 BPs), reinforced in each chapter, underlines the primary considerations for EMS officers taking on new responsibilities--people, strategic objectives, financial management objectives, learning objectives, and a culture of quality. Additional features highlight managerial leadership tips, examples of management decisions in the business world outside of EMS, and fictional case studies to stimulate discussion of how EMS officers can resolve challenging situations. EMS Supervisor: Principles and Practice meets the course outcomes for the National Fire Academy's Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Emergency Medical Services Curriculum Management of Emergency Medical Services course.
Orlando J. Dominguez, Jr. has been involved in EMS for more than 25 years, including 21 years with the Brevard County Fire Rescue Department in Brevard County, FL. He has served as a firefighter/paramedic, flight paramedic, EMS Training Captain, Public Information Officer, EMS Division Captain, and Division Chief of EMS. As the Division Chief of EMS, Mr. Dominguez manages all phases of EMS service delivery, including EMS care provided by 450 EMS professionals, as well as coordination between the department and all jurisdictional medical facilities. He has two graduate degrees from Webster University (Master's degrees in Business Administration and Management and Leadership) and has completed several post-graduate training courses in Six Sigma and Executive Leadership. Mr. Dominguez has been an EMS educator for more than 20 years and has authored more than 20 EMS-related papers.