OEMS Bids Farewell To Two Dedicated Public Servants

Source: Office of EMS

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of EMS announced the retirement of two longtime team members whose contributions have helped shape the EMS community at the local, state, and national levels.

Dave Bryson, an Emergency Medical Services Specialist, is retiring from federal service, departing exactly 30 years to the day, from his start at NHTSA. As a lifelong EMT and firefighter, Bryson played a key role in advancing EMS education and training through his work on impactful projects, including the “EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach.” He also collaborated across agencies to make EMS safer for patients, providers, and the public. Bryson is a life member and former Chief of the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, which he joined in 1989 while attending George Mason University.

Eric Chaney, also an Emergency Medical Services Specialist, concluded his time at NHTSA in his career spanning more than 30 years in emergency services, public policy, and state licensure and certification. At the Office of EMS, Chaney served as the project manager for the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS), helping expand and refine one of the most critical tools for EMS data collection and analysis in the nation. His prior roles include serving with the US Navy, the DHS Office of Health Affairs and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems.

“Dave and Eric brought deep expertise and unwavering dedication to our team,” said Gam Wijetunge, director of the office of EMS. “Their work will have a lasting impact on the profession, and more importantly, on the patients and clinicians we serve. We wish them both well, and we are grateful for their friendship and decades of service.”

Visit nhtsa.gov.