Sunstar Paramedics' Charlene Cobb elected to national board position

Sunstar Paramedics is pleased to announce that Charlene Cobb, community outreach coordinator, was elected to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), the only national professional association representing and serving the interests of EMS practitioners. She will serve as an at-large director.

NAEMT’s more than 50,000 members include every level of professional in the EMS industry in every sector, including government agencies, fire departments, private providers and hospital-based ambulance services. The 16-member Board provides general management and oversight to the organization.

During her two-year term, she plans to work on creating industry solutions for an easier transition for military medic veterans who want to move into an EMS career. She also plans to develop strategies to improve workplace safety and working with government representatives and industry officials to pass the Field EMS Modernization and Innovation Act, which creates several programs to improve funding for the EMS industry.

“I am extremely honored to have been elected by my fellow NAEMT members,” said Cobb. “Over the last 30 years, I have watched this field evolve and am excited to take a larger role in making a difference for EMTs around the country.”

Cobb has been an active member of NAEMT since 2005 and is a member of the association’s EMS safety committee. While serving on the safety committee, Cobb helped create and launch “Taking Safety to the Streets,” a safety course for paramedics and EMTs, and she presented sessions on workplace safety at several national conferences.

Cobb began working in the EMS industry more than 30 years ago, first volunteering as an EMT in New York before moving to Pinellas County, Florida to work for Sunstar Paramedics in 1989. During her career at Sunstar Paramedics, Cobb has worked as a paramedic, field training officer and education coordinator, before becoming Sunstar Paramedics’ community outreach coordinator.

In addition to her work with NAEMT, Cobb is the incoming chair of the Pinellas Suncoast chapter of Safe Kids Worldwide, a member of the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s bike and pedestrian committee, and a member of the National EMS Safety Foundation.

About Sunstar Paramedics:

Sunstar is the 911 ambulance transport service for all Pinellas County residents, employing 550 local residents, and responding to around 500 calls a day. Highly awarded and accredited, Sunstar utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and software, and (along with parent company Paramedics Plus) is an innovator of the industry’s best practices. Sunstar’s team is heavily involved in Pinellas communities, focusing largely on safety programs for the public and for schools. Sunstar is also a prior recipient of the Florida Governor’s Sterling Award, the state’s most prestigious award recognizing “role models for organizational performance excellence.” More info at SunstarEMS.com.

About NAEMT:

Formed in 1975 and more than 50,000 members strong, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) is the only national association representing the professional interests of all emergency and mobile healthcare practitioners, including emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians, emergency medical responders, paramedics, advanced practice paramedics, critical care paramedics, flight paramedics, community paramedics, and mobile integrated healthcare practitioners. NAEMT members work in all sectors of EMS, including government agencies, fire departments, hospital-based ambulance services, private companies, industrial and special operations settings, and in the military.

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