California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA)
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More info: emsa.ca.gov/about_emsa The EMS Authority is one of thirteen departments within California's Health and Human Services Agency.
The EMS Authority is charged with providing leadership in developing and implementing EMS systems throughout California and setting standards for the training and scope of practice of various levels of EMS personnel. Prior to 1980, California did not have a central state agency responsible for ensuring the development and coordination of EMS services and programs statewide. Although the many stake
holders in EMS, including local administrators, fire agencies, ambulance companies, hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other health care providers did not agree on many issues, there was a consensus that a more unified approach to emergency and disaster medical services was needed. Thus, as the result of several years of effort by the EMS constituents to establish a state lead agency and centralized resource to over see emergency and disaster medical services, the Emergency Medical Services System and Prehospital Emergency Care Personnel Act (SB 125) was passed, creating the Emergency Medical Services Authority and adding Division 2.5 to the Health and Safety Code (Sections 1797-1799). The EMS Authority also has responsibility for promoting disaster medical preparedness throughout the state, and, when required, managing the state's medical response to major disasters. Emergency and disaster medical services in California are rooted in the skills and commitment of the first responders, EMTs, nurses, physicians, and administrators who deliver care to the public and operate the system. In order for high quality services to be delivered with high efficiency, all aspects of EMS systems must work together, mutually reinforcing and supporting each other for the benefit of the patient. The California EMS Authority, through standard setting, consensus building, and leadership, plays a central role in improving the quality of emergency medical services available for all Californians. In California, day-to-day EMS system management is the responsibility of the local and regional EMS agencies. It is principally through these agencies that the EMS Authority works to promote quality EMS services statewide. EMS Authority staff also work closely with many local, state and federal agencies and private enterprises with emergency and/or disaster medical services roles and responsibilities.
Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) Facebook Comment Policy
Thank you for being a fan of the Emergency Medical Services Authority’s (EMSA) page. EMSA participates in Facebook in order to provide stakeholders and members of the public with the up-to-date, accurate and timely information, tools and resources relating to EMS in the State of California. If you have any questions, concerns or need additional information, please contact EMSA via phone or email. EMSA Main Phone Number is (916) 322-4336. Disclaimer:
Posted comments and images do not necessarily represent the views of EMSA. External, non-EMSA links on this site do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of EMSA. While we encourage fans to share thoughts and opinions on the EMSA page, we expect that this will be done in a respectful manner. EMSA does not agree with or endorse every comment that individuals post on our page. Our goal is to share ideas and information with as many individuals as possible and our policy is to accept the majority of comments made to our page. Therefore, a comment, video or photo will be deleted if it contains:
- Hate speech
- Profanity, implied profanity, obscenity or vulgarity
- Nudity in profile pictures
- Defamation to a person or people
- Name calling and/or personal attacks
- Comments whose main purpose is to sell a product or service
- Comments that infringe on copyrights
- Spam comments, such as the same comment posted repeatedly on a profile
- Links to non-EMS related sites, and
- Other comments that the EMSA Social Media team deems inappropriate such as comments that are off topic. All links posted as comments on EMSA’s page will be reviewed and may be deleted. Repeated violations of the EMSA Facebook comment policy may cause the author to be blocked from EMSA’s page. Thank you for your understanding of EMSA’s Facebook Comment Policy. You may call EMSA’s Social Media Team if you have questions regarding the policy at (916) 322-4336.
06/07/2026
Interoperability and emergency preparedness are skills worth practicing.
This week, EMSA and partners got some valuable reps in during our full-scale emergency preparedness exercise at Mather Field. We spent the day on June 5 developing skills working together across agencies to triage, treat, and transport actors posing as patients during a complex incident, including activating an alternate care site and coordinating communications in real time.
These exercises matter because they help us build the connectivity we’ll need if a large-scale disaster ever occurs. When agencies at the federal, state, and local levels practice together, we’re better positioned to deliver seamless care when it matters most.
We’re grateful to every agency, ambulance company, medic, and volunteer who showed up and put in the work. We’re proud of the collaboration we saw throughout the day.
Genuine thanks to everyone who spent a long day working for a truly important endeavor!
06/03/2026
Huge congrats to Sacramento Police Officers Boughton and Moorman on receiving the Inter-Service EMS Recognition Award at last night’s EMS Awards!
Their quick thinking and teamwork helped save a firefighter’s life during a wildland fire response. Great work by our law enforcement partners.
Sacramento Police Department
Sacramento Fire Department
Congratulations to Officers Boughton and Moorman who received the Inter-Service EMS Recognition award at the 2025 EMS Awards last night. This award recognizes exceptional acts of service by individuals who are not EMTs, yet provide outstanding support during EMS emergencies, events, or operations.
Officers Boughton and Moorman received this award related to an incident where they were assisting at a wildland fire which threatened a residential community. Officers recognized a downed firefighter in medical distress and immediately initiated CPR to which they then helped coordinate a rapid resuscitation effort. Their quick action and teamwork directly contributed to the firefighter’s survival.
06/03/2026
Thank you California Ambulance Association for highlighting EMS Award winners from last night. Huge congrats to everyone recognized!
06/03/2026
Proud to see our partners at AMR Stanislaus County recognized at last night’s EMS Awards. Congratulations to Jason and Pete!
06/02/2026
We’re truly grateful for ReddiNet’s bronze-level sponsorship of the 2025 EMS Awards!
ReddiNet supports EMS professionals by helping them communicate quickly and clearly with hospitals across the state. Their sponsorship goes a long way in helping us honor the best and brightest of California EMS!
The 2025 EMS Awards, which celebrates exceptional work in EMS from all of last year, will be held tonight, June 2, in St. Helena.
06/01/2026
We’d like to extend a sincere thank you to the Emergency Medical Services Directors’ Association of California (EMDAC) for their bronze-level sponsorship of the 2025 EMS Awards.
As the association that brings together the leaders of local EMS agencies across our state, EMDAC plays a truly important role in guiding California’s EMS system. Their work supporting directors, sharing best practices, and strengthening local systems helps ensure patients receive the best possible care when they need it most.
We’re truly grateful for their partnership and continued support as we come together to honor the outstanding professionals who make up California’s EMS community.
Thank you, EMDAC!
06/01/2026
We’d like to extend a warm thank you to AlphaOne Ambulance Medical Services for their silver-level sponsorship of the 2025 EMS Awards!
We’re inspired by AlphaOne’s “Leave No Footprint” approach and their commitment to empathetic, high-quality care. Their support helps us celebrate the dedication of California’s EMS heroes at the 2025 California EMS Awards.
Let’s give a round of applause for AlphaOne's life saving impact!
05/29/2026
We’d like to extend a warm thank you to The Permanente Medical Group for their silver-level sponsorship of the 2025 EMS Awards!
We’re grateful for TPMG’s partnership and their strong support of California’s EMS professionals. Their sponsorship helps us honor the best of our state’s emergency medical community at the 2025 California EMS Awards on June 2.
Thank you, TPMG!
05/28/2026
EMS “is the only social safety net program where you can call a 24-hour number and someone is always going to show up and answer the call. And it will always be the strength of EMS. I believe that to my core.”
— Director Elizabeth Basnett at the EMS Administrators’ Association of California (EMSAAC) Annual Conference 2026
Director Basnett also shared her vision for a more innovative, coordinated EMS system built on real-time data exchange across disciplines.
Thank you for your leadership and clear vision for the future of EMS!
05/27/2026
Thank you to our Disaster Medical Services team for representing EMSA at the Sacramento County Fair this weekend.
Our team spent the day speaking with fairgoers about the Disaster Healthcare Volunteers of California program. DHV recruits both medical and non-medical volunteers who are ready to serve when disasters strike across the state.
If you’ve ever considered volunteering, visit healthcarevolunteers.ca.gov.
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