January 24, 2017
Dennis Rowe
Dennis Rowe, a corporate leader at Priority Ambulance, began a two-year term as president of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), effective Jan. 1, 2017.
“At Priority Ambulance, we are honored to have industry leaders in our company who will help shape the future of emergency medical services (EMS),” Priority Ambulance CEO Bryan Gibson said. “NAEMT is the only national professional organization representing EMS practitioners from all delivery models, and its leadership influences pre-hospital policies and protocols across the country. We are proud to have Dennis Rowe represent Priority Ambulance and the EMS profession in national discussions.”
The board of NAEMT, serving more than 55,000 members nationwide, consists of five officers, ten directors elected by the active members of the association, and a medical director. The president acts as the CEO and oversees all aspects of the association’s operations.
On the national stage, NAEMT represents members before the federal government on issues that affect work environment and the ability to effectively serve patients.
“I am honored to be able to take this leadership role and assist NAEMT in its mission to be a unifying voice of advocacy for our profession,” Rowe said. “By working with employees throughout Priority Ambulance’s national network, I can offer perspective from diverse vantage points on issues that impact EMS professionals across the country. I look forward to addressing the national issues that are important to our employees and all EMS professionals.”
The organization also provides continuing education for EMTs, paramedics, and other prehospital practitioners and distributes information to its members on the latest technology and protocols for the industry.
As director of new business integration for Priority Ambulance, Rowe is part of the corporate team that designs and implements integration plans as new ambulance companies join the company’s national network.
Rowe also served as East Tennessee director of operations, managing ambulance transports and communications centers in Knox, Loudon and Blount counties for Priority Ambulance.
Rowe has more than 35 years of experience in the EMS field in East Tennessee, including 17 years at Rural/Metro of East Tennessee providing oversight of ambulance transports for Knox County. Previously, Rowe was the trauma coordinator for the Level One Trauma Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. He was involved in research publications, Trauma Center financial analysis and day-to-day operations. Rowe also was part of the UT LIFESTAR helicopter program startup team.
A longtime member of NAEMT, Rowe has served as treasurer on the national board of directors and on the Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Committee, NAEMT Bylaws Committee and other committees and appointed liaison positions. He is a past president of the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association and served on the Tennessee EMS Division Clinical Issues Committee.
About Priority Ambulance
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Priority Ambulance provides the highest level of clinical excellence in emergency and nonemergency medical care to the communities it serves. Throughout its national service area, more than 1,000 highly trained paramedics and EMTs staff a fleet of more than 250 state-of-the-art vehicles with the latest medical equipment and technology.
Priority Ambulance provides emergency and nonemergency medical transport options to communities in Arizona, Tennessee, Alabama, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Georgia. Operating as Priority Ambulance, the company serves Knox, Loudon and Blount counties in East Tennessee. Priority Ambulance operates as Kunkel Ambulance in Upstate New York; Trans Am Ambulance in western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania; Shoals Ambulance in Alabama; Seals Ambulance in Indiana; Central EMS in Georgia; and Maricopa Ambulance in Arizona.