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EMS Boards and Subcommittees

Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board meetings for 2024

March 5–6, 2024

June 4–5, 2024

September 10–11, 2024

December 3–4, 2024

About the EMS Board

The EMS Board provides recommendations directly to the Department of Health Services. Listed below is a summary of the roles and duties of the EMS Board.

EMS Board members are appointed by the Governor. Appointment information and application.

EMS Board subcommittees are formed to address specific issues and develop recommendations on EMS-related topics. As with all board meetings, members of the public are encouraged to attend.

All persons interested in serving on a standing subcommittee should submit their application, F-00568 (Word) to the Wisconsin EMS Section by email: dhsemssmail@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

All meeting agendas contain a virtual link and are physically posted at the following locations:

  • Department of Health Services, 1 W. Wilson St., Madison, WI, in the lobby
  • Wisconsin Public Notice Website
  • Wisconsin State Capitol Building, 2 E. Main St., Madison, WI, 53703

  • Appoint an advisory committee of physicians with expertise in the emergency medical services area to advise the department on the criteria for selection of the state medical director for emergency medical services and on the performance of the director and to advise the director on appropriate medical issues.
  • Periodically review all emergency medical services statutes and rules for surface, water and air transportation and recommend to the department and the department of transportation changes in those statutes and rules to provide different personnel and equipment requirements, where appropriate, for emergency response, nonemergency response and interfacility transportation of patients.
  • Seek involvement in its deliberations by appropriate personnel from the department, the technical college system board and the department of transportation.
  • Seek involvement in its deliberations by ambulance service provider personnel, emergency medical services practitioners, emergency medical responders, persons who train emergency medical services personnel and other interested persons.
  • Advise, make recommendations to, and consult with the department concerning the funding under Wis. Stat. § 256.12(4) and (5), including recommending a formula for allocating funds among ambulance service providers under Wis. Stat. § 256.12(5).
  • Review the annual budget prepared by the department for the expenditures under Wis. Stat. § 20.435(1) (ch).
  • Prepare written information on cardiocerebral resuscitation and provide the information to persons who offer certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
  • Prepare recommendations on training and approval qualifications for community paramedics and community emergency medical services practitioners.
  • Serve as a repository and contact for information and guidance on rendering first aid to domestic animals. In developing any guidance under this subsection, the board shall consult with a licensed veterinarian who is trained in pre-hospitalization emergency care of domestic animals. Appoints EMS subcommittee membership.​

Member contact information

Jerry Biggart (Chair)
Milwaukee Area Technical College, Oak Creek Fire Department and Training Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2023)

Christopher Anderson (Vice Chair)
Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin, Bell Ambulance
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(term expires 05/01/2023)

(Secretary) TBD

Chris Eberlein MD
Gunderson Health System
LaCrosse, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2024)

Justin Pleuss
Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2023)

Dustin Ridings
Oconto Ambulance Service, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Oconto, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2023)

Stephen Zils MD
Aurora Medical Center, Belgium Rescue Squad First Responders, Fredonia Fire Dept. Ambulance,
Grafton Fire Department, Random Lake Fire Department, Saukville Ambulance
Cudahy, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2025)

Jennifer Hernandez-Maier
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2025)

Greg West
Waukesha Area Technical College
Waukesha, Wisconsin

Michael Clark MD
Aspirus Merrill Hospital
Marathon, Wisconsin
(term expires 5/01/2024)

James Small
Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
Madison, WI

Fred Hornby
Superior Ambulance
Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Government Representatives
Non-Voting Members:

DHS/DPH Representative
Mark Mandler, EMS Section Manager
1 W Wilson St.
PO Box 2659
Madison, WI 53701-2659

State EMS and Trauma Medical Director
M Riccardo Colella, DO, MPH
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin

Department of Transportation (DOT) Representative
Travis Kraft
4802 Sheboygan Ave.
PO Box 7936
Madison, WI 53707-7936

EMSC Representative
Michael Kim, MD, FAAP
UW School of Medicine/Public Health
Madison, WI 53792

WTCS Board Representative
Latisha Spence-Brookens
4622 University Ave.
PO Box 7874
Madison, WI 53707-7874

About subcommittee membership

EMS Board subcommittees are formed to address specific issues and develop recommendations on EMS-related topics. All voting members are appointed by the Board and attend meetings the first Tuesday of the month in conjunction with the regular Board meetings. As with all Board meetings, members of the public are encouraged to attend. A calendar of meeting dates/locations is posted on this website.

All persons interested in serving on a standing committee should submit their application, F-00568 (Word) to the Wisconsin EMS Section by email: dhsemssmail@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

Standing committees are listed below, with board members in boldface.

Subcommittee functions

EMS systems quality and data

  • Public information reporting
  • CQI as it relates to data
  • Establish criteria for reports that drive system quality initiatives
  • Latest NEMSIS version implementation recommendations
  • Monitoring WARDS and compliance with Wisconsin EMS strategic planning
Members

Chris Eberlein, MD (Chair)
Elizabeth Rybczyk (DHS Representative)
Ryan Homman
Michael Spigner, MD, EMT-P
James Poltrock
Jacob Schultz
Jeffery Trudell
Nick Eastman

EMS education and training

  • Review curricula - All levels as needed
  • Curricula and logistics to transition to a higher-level EMT licensure
  • Statewide biannual training requirements (hot topics, etc.)
  • Assist with educational components related to EMS Office, EMS Board, WTCS and training center initiatives
  • Wisconsin EMS strategic planning
Members

Greg West (chair)
Don Kimlicka (DHS representative)
Dan Anderson
Tom Boyer
Alyssa Cahoon
Jeff Matcha
Jeff Dostalek
Jordan Pullen
Joseph Murray

EMS system management and development

  • Interface with DOT Trans 309 Committee
  • Development of local EMS leadership
  • Legislative initiatives
  • Recommend ways and means to sustain and advance the EMS system in the state
  • Recruitment and retention
  • Mobile Integrated Health Care and other public health integration into public safety
Members

Chris Anderson (Chair)
Jason Witte (DHS Representative)
Jason Flegner
Dana Sechler
Nick Romenesko
Noelle Gross
Samantha Jacobs
Justin Klis
Ryan Huser

Rural EMS

  • Voice for rural EMS Providers
  • Solutions to the needs of rural EMS
  • Communication conduit for rural EMS providers.
  • Directly provide information to rural EMS Providers
Members

TBA
Danny Williams (DHS representative)
Cody Ducette
Andrew Lohman
Robert Lulling
Sondra Marschie
Christopher Molldrem
Michael Orlando
Ashley Vickers

EMS Physician Advisory Committee

  • Assist with development of qualifications for medical directors at the local level
  • Serve as an advisory committee for all related agencies (Wisconsin Technical College System Board, Department of Transportation)
  • Assist with development of medical items for state database
  • Medical director education and statute/rule interpretation and intent
  • Recommend scope of practice for each EMT level
  • Other duties as assigned by the Board
Members

Steven Zils, MD (Chair)
Mark Schultz, MD
Michael Lohmeir, MD
Kacey Kronenfeld, MD, FAEMS
Sean Marquis, MD
Robert Zemple, MD
Steve Weitman, MD

Establishment of the Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board Human Relations Committee

The mission of the Wisconsin EMS Board Human Relations Committee (HRC) is to provide information on how to create, adopt, educate, and implement cultural competency for EMS providers. The HRC will also address specific emergency medical considerations relative to the diverse population that resides in and visits the State of Wisconsin, and within individual EMS agencies.

In addition to working on the mission, the EMS HRC will define where they expect to be in the future. The HRC’s vision will provide Wisconsin EMS practitioners with a future view that can be shared within their organization, a clear sense of direction, a mobilization of energy, impacts on recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce, and knowledge of how to instill engagement in something as important as diversity and inclusion in EMS care and the EMTs that provide it.

The EMS HRC will create a Human Dignity Statement to define the committee’s culture, belief system, and core values, thus providing a foundation in an environment that is always changing. Further, the HRC will create applicable strategic initiatives, goals, and objectives for emergency medical services and disparities in EMS care that may exist. Analyzing and prioritizing the patients and practitioners, and the emergency medical services industry strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) is the first step in identifying actionable strategies for the future.

The EMS HRC will consist of representatives from several historically underrepresented populations, including Black and/or African American, Native American, Asian American, the disability community, women, Hispanic and/or Latinx, the LGBTQIA+ community, and veterans.

The EMS HRC will be selected by the EMS Board through the established committee election process and adhere to the same operational policies of EMS Board Committees. However, the role of Chair and Vice Chair of the EMS HRC may be delegated to an elected member that is not a member of the EMS Board. At minimum, there will be one EMS Board Member assigned as the liaison to the EMS HRC. Additionally, the EMS HRC will have one EMS physician to serve as a medical advisor on recommendations related to field emergency medicine.

The Wisconsin EMS Board recognizes that diversity, inclusion, racial and gender equity issues are being raised within EMS across the State. The EMS Board acknowledges that there are a number of EMS agencies as well as affinity groups that are discussing and addressing diversity and inclusion issues, and our goal is to create a mechanism to mutually support each other in achieving equity, diversity and inclusion goals for patients and practitioners. The objective is to inspire positive change in EMS. The representative populations identified in this initial committee creation may expand at any point by the action of the EMS Board majority.

Disclaimer about advisory council content

This content reflects the views and opinions of the advisory council. It may not reflect the official policy or position of DHS.

Last revised March 14, 2024