Katherine Elkins

Kate’s career spans over two decades in EMS, disaster response, public health and injury prevention. At NHTSA, Kate works on the NG911 Grant Program and with EMS and 911 stakeholders on projects related to pediatrics, education, rural/tribal issues, mental health, workforce wellness and the COVID-19 response. She also collaborated with CDC and NIOSH on a study of suicide among first responders. Kate attends the federal working group on suicide prevention and the White House Interagency Policy Committee for suicide prevention as an EMS and 911 subject matter expert. Additionally, Kate is the Deputy Team Lead for the Prehospital/EMS team of the Healthcare Resilience Working Group (HRWG), which is part of the FEMA/HHS COVID-19 response. She works on maintaining optimal EMS and 911 systems amid significant challenges.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a public health agency responsible for keeping people safe on America’s roadways. NHTSA helps prevent crashes and their associated costs, both human and financial. Through the National Roadway Safety Strategy’s Safe System Approach, NHTSA builds layers of protection with safer roads, safer people, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and post-crash care. NHTSA's Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) houses the National 911 Program and focuses on strengthening post-crash care, a vital factor in saving lives after crashes occur. The OEMS advances a national vision for EMS and 911 through projects and research; fosters collaboration with federal agencies involved in EMS and 911 planning; measures the health of EMS and 911 systems; and delivers data EMS and 911 leaders need to advance their systems.