The EMS and Trauma Systems Program has scheduled a public hearing on revisions to the EMS rules for February 24th at 1:15 PM in room 1E of the Portland State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland. Written comments may be emailed to: brittany.a.sande@state.or.us or mailed to:

DHS, Public Health Division
Brittany Sande, Administrative Rules Coordinator
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 930
Portland, Oregon 97232

Following up on the work of the Oregon EMS for the Future work group, the Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) pertaining to EMS will be updated. The update will incorporate the revised recommendations of the Oregon EMS for the Future Workgroup which included recognizing the national levels of provider: Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic as well as maintaining the Oregon EMT-Intermediate. The proposed rules also propose to increase fees (which have not been increased since 1997), change the deadline for recertification from May 31st to May 1st and make some clarifications to the rules. The three sets of rules are: Division 250 - Ambulance Service Licensing, Division 255 - Ambulance Licensing, and Division 265 - Emergency Medical Technicians and First Responders.

Fee increases are proposed in a three step process. The first step would take effect July 2010 and increase fees for initial applicants, reciprocity applicants, late fees and testing fees. The second step, which will increase renewal fees as well as initial and reciprocity fees, would take effect July 1, 2011 (after the next recertification has be completed). The third step would take effect July 1, 2013 after the completion of the 2013 recertficiation period. It proposes increases renewal, initial and reciprocity application fees. Fees for licensing ambulance agencies and vehicles are in statute and are not affected by these proposed rule changes. The proposed fee changes can be found in the 265 - Emergency Medical Technicians and First Responders section 333-265-0030 which is entitled: Fees for the Certification and Recertification of a First Responder or EMT. The fees for EMT-Basic recertification would increase by 38% over the 18 year period from 1997 to 2015 and the fees for EMT-Paramedic would increase by 25%. These fees fund all EMS certification activities.

The proposed rules are scheduled to be discussed at the March meeting of the Oregon EMS Advisory Committee.


The ending time of the public comment period is 5:00 p.m. February 26th.
Copies of the draft rules can be downloaded here: