The New Hampshire Emergency Medical and Trauma Services Coordinating Board was created by statute to oversee the administration and planning of a coordinated statewide system of emergency medical patient care. The 22-member board represents various EMS-related organizations in the state. Its members are appointed by Governor and Council.

Duties of the Board include:

• Develop and update a statewide plan for the delivery of emergency medical services.
• Routinely assess the delivery of care in the EMS system.
• Recommend to the Commissioner of Safety regulations for governing the EMS system.
• Review and comment on proposed regulation changes by the Commissioner of Safety.
• Designate, as requested, EMS Regions and Districts.
• Approve statewide trauma system procedures including policies and minimum standards of system performance.
• Promote interstate cooperation of emergency medical services.

The following excerpt from the NH Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) describe the Board and its duties:

153-A:3 Emergency Medical and Trauma Services Coordinating Board.

I. The emergency medical and trauma services coordinating board is created, consisting of 22 members appointed as set out in paragraphs II and III.

II. The governor shall appoint persons to the board as follows:

(a) One member from the New Hampshire Ambulance Association.
(b) One member from the New Hampshire chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
(c) One member from the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
(d) One member from the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
(e) One member from the New Hampshire Emergency Nurses Association.
(f) One member from the American Red Cross.
(g) One member from the New Hampshire Heart Association.
(h) One member from the New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs.
(i) One member from the New Hampshire Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.
(j) One member from the New Hampshire Medical Society.
(k) One member from the New Hampshire Paramedic Association.
(l) One member from the Emergency Medical Services Medical Control Board.
(m) One member from the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire.
(n) Three members from the general public, representing geographic divisions of the state.
(o) One representative from the New Hampshire chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma.
(p) One member from the New Hampshire chapter of the Academy of Pediatrics.
(q) One representative from the Trauma Medical Review committee established in RSA 153-A:8.
(r) One representative from the New Hampshire Association of Rehabilitation Administrators.
(s) One representative from an organ/tissue donor organization.
(t) One member from the New Hampshire fire standards and training commission.

III. Each member from subparagraphs II(a)-(m) and (o)-(t) shall be nominated by the appropriate organization to the governor for appointment. The term of a member shall be 3 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified. The governor shall fill any vacancy in the same manner as the original appointment. In case of a vacancy other than by expiration of the term, the appointment shall be for the balance of the unexpired term and shall be considered a term for the purposes of the limitation on terms. No member shall serve more than 3 consecutive terms or 9 consecutive years.

IV. The members of the board shall elect a chair and a vice-chair who shall both serve for a term of 2 years. The director, or designee, shall serve as a nonvoting member and shall be the executive secretary of the board.

V. The board shall meet at least 4 times a year and at the call of the chair.

VI. Members shall receive no compensation.

153-A:4 Powers and Duties of the Coordinating Board. The board shall:

I. Develop and routinely update a plan for the operation of a statewide system of emergency medical services that reflects the abilities and needs of each municipality.

II. Routinely assess the delivery of emergency medical services, based on information and data provided by the department and from other sources the board deems appropriate, with particular attention to the quality and availability of care.

III. Review and offer comments on to the commissioner recommendations for rules required and other such rules as deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

IV. Review and offer comments on rules proposed by the commissioner prior to their adoption under RSA 541-A.

V. Designate emergency medical services regions and districts in the state, in accordance with RSA 153-A:6. The council established for a region shall include a New Hampshire licensed physician with a background in emergency medicine.

VI. Approve statewide trauma policies, procedures, and protocols of the statewide trauma system and the establishment of minimum standards for system performance and patient care proposed by the commissioner prior to their adoption under RSA 541-A.

VII. Coordinate interstate cooperation and delivery of emergency medical and trauma services.