HOUSTON - The Houston Fire Department’s EMS Director, Dr. David Persse, was recently honored by the American College of Emergency Physicians at their annual meeting in San Diego. Dr. Persse received the ACEP 2018 Outstanding Contribution to EMS Award.
“I am very humbled to receive this recognition. I feel it reflects, not my achievement, but the achievement of the entire team including the EMT’s and paramedics, as well as the administrative and medical staff I have worked with throughout the years,” said Dr. Persse.

Dr. Persse's started his career as a field paramedic and paramedic instructor in upstate New York and New Jersey. He went on to pre-med at Columbia University and medical school at Georgetown University and completed his residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. After a fellowship and a stint in California for several Medical Director jobs, Dr. Persse returned to Houston to assume the role of the Director of EMS for the City of Houston. A few years later he was as appointed Houston’s Public Health Authority.

Dr. Persse has received numerous awards including one for his leadership during the Hurricane Katrina response and an honorary Doctor of Humanities in Medicine degree from Baylor College of Medicine for the role he played in serving the community after Hurricane Harvey. Also, in 2018 he was recognized by the American College of Emergency Physicians with the Outstanding Contribution to EMS Award. In addition to his role with the City, Dr. Persse is a Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the Baylor College of Medicine and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Texas Medical School – Houston. He is also a Tactical Physician with the Houston Police S.W.A.T. team.