With grant funding from the Department of Labor and the Department of Economic Development, the National EMS Academy was established in 2003 to meet the demands of a nationwide paramedic shortage. The Academy is an educational partnership between Acadian Ambulance Service, South Louisiana Community College and Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service with the primary objective of providing the education and training necessary for individuals seeking to enter the emergency medical services industry. Each year, NEMSA continues to exceed the national average pass rate for EMTs and paramedics. In 2014, NEMSA’s pass rate surpassed the national average for EMTs, 86% to 75%, and paramedics 88% to 85%. With six campuses in Louisiana and three in Texas, the Academy has trained almost 2% of all new nationally registered paramedics in the nation and has produced 3,428 EMTs and 1,490 paramedics since its inception in 2003