What Does NHTSA's Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) Do?

Updated

NHTSA's Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) is the federal office that coordinates national EMS strategy and runs the National 911 Program. It sets a national vision and supports the systems that states, localities, and 911 centers operate—it does not dispatch ambulances or deliver emergency care itself. EMS.gov is the public face of that work, so use it for official program information, national guidance, and 911 program resources rather than for local emergency response.

The Core Role: National Coordination and Vision-Setting

OEMS sits within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Its stated mission, as described on EMS.gov, is to advance a national vision for optimal emergency medical services and 911 systems. In practice, that means the office works at the national level on things individual EMS agencies cannot do alone:

  • Setting direction — articulating what a well-functioning national EMS system should look like and where it should go.
  • Convening and coordinating — bringing together the many parties in EMS and 911, from state EMS offices to national associations, so efforts align instead of fragmenting.
  • Supporting the field — producing national guidance, program information, and resources that state and local systems can adopt or adapt.

The office is a coordinator and a resource, not a regulator of your local ambulance service and not a care provider.

The National 911 Program Connection

OEMS and the National 911 Program are described together on EMS.gov as working toward that shared national vision. This pairing reflects how closely the two functions are linked: a 911 call is usually the entry point into the EMS system, so the technology, standards, and coordination questions around 911 are part of the same national picture as EMS delivery.

For readers, the practical takeaway is that EMS.gov covers both sides of that pipeline. If your question is about national 911 program information or national EMS program information, the site is the intended starting point for both.

What OEMS Does Not Do

A common source of confusion is expecting a federal office to respond to emergencies or manage local services. OEMS does not:

  • Receive 911 calls or dispatch responders.
  • Operate ambulances or employ local EMS clinicians.
  • Set the clinical protocols your local service follows.

Those functions belong to local 911 centers, EMS agencies, and state and local authorities. If you have an emergency, call 911—do not look to EMS.gov for response.

When to Use EMS.gov

Your goal Is EMS.gov the right place?
Understand national EMS priorities or the national vision Yes — official program information
Find information on the National 911 Program Yes
Learn how national EMS and 911 efforts are coordinated Yes
Get help in an emergency No — call 911
Find your local ambulance service's protocols or hours No — contact the local agency or state EMS office

Bottom Line

OEMS is the federal coordination point for national EMS strategy and the home of the National 911 Program, working with national EMS and 911 systems rather than delivering care. Go to EMS.gov when you need official program information or national-level guidance; go to your local 911 center or EMS agency when you need response or local service details.