Independent benchmarking and role model recognition for EMS excellence

You can choose either a fiscal year or calendar year when reporting your results.

Fiscal year option: Report a full year of data from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2027.

Calendar year option: Report a full year of data from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Applications must be submitted by June 1, 2027.

Either option satisfies the reporting requirements — choose the one that matches how your agency already tracks its annual data.

The 2026 award cycle includes 20 EMS performance measures organized under five balanced recognition categories: Service Excellence, Workforce Excellence, Operational Excellence, Prevention Excellence, and Stewardship Excellence.

For a full description of each measure and its reporting requirements, click the following to download the 2026 EMS Role Model Recognition Measures Guide.

Your overall calendar or fiscal year results for the performance measure(s) you are seeking recognition for must be in the top 25th percentile ranking when compared to the 60 similar sized peer organizations within your state.

Any EMS department, including municipal, county, non-profit, and private organizations who are under contract with a governmental agency, for the year they're seeking recognition.

The 2026 role model recognition application fee is only $600 for a single measure. Each additional measure you seek to benchmark your performance is an additional $200.

After you select the recognition category measure(s) and agreed to the 60 similar sized peer organizations, you will be invoiced 50 percent of the total application fee. The balance is invoiced after the foundation team has collected all 60 peer organizations results and determined your percentile ranking.

Yes. You can seek role model recognition within one or all five categories, and as many measures within each. We encourage you to schedule a free call so a member of our team can assist you. 

If one or more of the 60 peer department in your state does not collect data for the measure you’re seeking recognition, for example service satisfaction surveys or employee engagement surveys, they count as a zero in your percentile ranking.

We believe your results should be compared to all 60 similar sized peer department, not to only those who collect the data.  Departments that measure their performance set the standard.

Once you have selected the recognition category, performance measure(s), and agreed to the 60 similar sized peer departments, we will contact them in writing and determine your percentile ranking in less than 45 days.

We do. Members of our foundation team contact all 60 peer departments in writing and formally request their results.

Because EMS departments are public agencies, their results are public records. We request the information through each state's public records law — the government transparency statutes that exist in all 50 states. That means your peer benchmark is built on official, verifiable data, collected the same way for every department.

No action is required on your part. We do all the work, so you don't have to.

Each Role Model department receives the following:

• A digital badge customized with the year, your state, and recognition category — you can proudly display on your website, annual report, letterhead, business cards, and budget presentations.
• Sample press releases you can customize and share with your elected official, community leaders, the public, and other key stakeholders.
• Notification to your state and national regulatory and professional associations of your Role Model recognition.
• A feature on our website.
• A stunning trophy you would be proud to display is an option available for purchase.

We know that's disappointing. But you still walk away with valuable peer benchmark information — exactly where your department ranks against 60 similar sized peer organizations in your state, and much you need to improve to be in the top 25th percentile.

To help you achieve the recognition you deserve, our foundation performance improvement team will work with you — at no additional cost to you — a custom plan to help you improve performance to get you above the 25th threshold.

In addition, application fees the next recognition cycle year are reduced 25%.

Four critical features sets us apart from traditional recognition programs:

• Affordable. A fraction of the cost of traditional state and national quality awards.
• Results that matter. Recognition is based on objective outcomes important to the community you serve, not internal, activity type measures.
• Objective, not subjective criteria. Your performance is ranked against 60 similar sized organizations in your state — you’re not judged by panel of individuals. Your objective results are the judges.
• Outcome focused recognition not counting activities. We recognize role model departments based upon what matters most to their community. Your community does not care how many calls you run, they care about your ability to save their life. 

No. The Baldrige Award Foundation is independent and built specifically for fire, EMS, and 911 public safety departments.

Our mission is to make state level role model recognition affordable, simple, and objective, traditional state and national awards left behind.

Click the schedule a call button and select a date and time best for you.

We would love to connect and provide you all the information you need so you can receive the recognition you deserve.