Jerry Johnston, B.A., R.E.M.T.-P. is the emergency services (EMS) director at Henry County Health Center (HCHC) in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, a countywide all-ALS system. In addition to his duties in Henry County, he also manages a BLS/ALS/Critical Care transport service located in Burlington, Iowa, which is partly owned by HCHC. In 1998, HCHC EMS was the recipient of NAEMT’s Paramedic Ambulance Service of the Year award. In 2001, he was the recipient of NAEMT's William Klingensmith EMS Administrator of the Year award. He has been employed by private as well as hospital based EMS systems. While his current role is that of administrator, he has held positions of EMT-B, EMT-I, staff paramedic, training officer, EMT-B training program and continuing education coordinator, and paramedic instructor. He has instructed all levels of EMS providers, as well as BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Mr. Johnston serves on a variety of local, state, and national organizations and associations. He has presented at numerous regional, state and national EMS conferences. He is currently president of the National Association of EMTs, an organization in which he has served on the Board of Governors, Executive Council, and Board of Directors, and as treasurer and president elect. He is a past president of the Iowa EMS Association, was the first chair of NAEMT’s Pediatric Prehospital Care Executive Council, and is a past BLS national faculty member for the American Hospital Association. Mr. Johnston holds a B.A. degree in business management and economics, and is a nationally registered paramedic.