A reminder to the EMS community: applications are due Friday, Feb. 16, for positions on the new national advisory committee on EMS.

As EMSResponder.com reported in December, (National EMS Advisory Committee Established) the new council will make recommendations to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Office of EMS.

The 26-member panel will be comprised of volunteer and career providers, trauma surgeons, state EMS directors, educators, dispatchers, highway safety officials and consumers, and will address a multitude of issues including needs assessment, planning, data collection, training and education.

The document announcing this new committee in the Federal Register states that weight will be given to a variety of factors including geographical distribution, gender, minority status, organization, and expertise. Nearly 200 applications have already been submitted.

To read the full document, including application instructions, click here for the online text or here for the pdf.