Licensing question

[Stephanie Ramos]

I just passed my NREMT, so my next step is getting licensed. I'm having a hard time understanding the concept of having national/state/local certifications. I live in California and I'm planning on applying to different companies in the Bay Area, which are located in different counties. So I thought it would be smarter to get a state certification, as opposed to a local certification. But I can't find any information on how to be state certified in California. Help?

 

[squirrel15]

I just passed my NREMT, so my next step is getting licensed. I'm having a hard time understanding the concept of having national/state/local certifications. I live in California and I'm planning on applying to different companies in the Bay Area, which are located in different counties. So I thought it would be smarter to get a state certification, as opposed to a local certification. But I can't find any information on how to be state certified in California. Help?

State and local in California are mostly the same. Since you're in the bay area just go through Santa Clara county. They are the most stringent in what all they require and you have to get their county badge to work in the area anyways.

In short go through Santa Clara county. Google Santa Clara county EMT certification and follow the first link

 

[klong707]

You can goto any county its a state card now no seprate county bs for emt now for medics thats a different story

 

[DesertMedic66]

You can goto any county its a state card now no seprate county bs for emt now for medics thats a different story

Some counties still require a county card for the EMT level

 

[klong707]

They can require it but if you have it in one county they are not supposed to ask yoy to pay for their county card i fought this one with solano i had a sac card they "tried" to make me pay for a solano card in the end they gave it to me for free

 

[DesertMedic66]

Counties like LA, OC require an expanded scope class that is required to get certified in their county. So depending on the county it's not just as easy as "I have my state card which means I can work in every county I want to". You still have to meet that county's training requirement.

 

[klong707]

Intresting well i was tell my experience everyone will have a different one

 

[squirrel15]

You can goto any county its a state card now no seprate county bs for emt now for medics thats a different story

Not necessarily true. You can be certified in CA through any county. But that does not mean every county has to allow you to work. Each county is allowed to make stricter rules to be allowed to work in said counties. Such as the examples that have been given

 

[EMT707]

Stephanie, what county are you in ?

 

[Aprz]

So I thought it would be smarter to get a state certification, as opposed to a local certification. But I can't find any information on how to be state certified in California.

You have no choice. When you apply for your EMT certification at your county's EMS agency, you will get a California EMT card.

I think you are confused. You are either looking at outdated stuff and/or looking at stuff that may be required to work in a county in addition to having your California EMT card.

Before July 1st, 2010, there used to not be a California EMT card. You'd go to your county and get a county EMT card. This doesn't exist anymore.

Some counties require additional certification, training, orientation, or accreditation to work as an EMT within their county. Example:

• Santa Clara County is one example that @squirrel15 mentioned. In addition to your California EMT card, you'll need to get SEMS, ICS 100, NIMS 700, AWR 160, IS 3, NIMS 704, Hazmat FRO, and attend an orientation to the county all within a year to get a System ID badge. Santa Clara County EMS requires that all private ambulance field personnel have a System ID badge. Therefore having a California EMT card is not good enough by itself to work in Santa Clara County.
• To work 911 in San Diego, you have to take a bridge EMT course.
• To work in Kern County/Halls Ambulance, you need to take an AED and supraglottic airway class.

I know a lot about Santa Clara more than the other counties because I worked there for about three years, lol. There are probably more things to those counties than what I mentioned. There are definitely more counties that have more requirements, different requirements, etc. to work in them. Even though they have more requirements, they won't deny you your state EMT card when you apply for it. You can go to Santa Clara County with just your NREMT card and AHA CPR for Healthcare Provider, pay the fees, do a background check, and you'll get a California EMT card. Just because you got your California EMT card from Santa Clara County doesn't mean you will be able to work in all counties without their (the other counties) additional requirements, fees, etc.

 

[Aprz]

An example of a county card. Santa Clara County EMT card. This is what you used to get before July 1st, 2010. Doesn't exist anymore.​

An example of a California EMT card. This is what you get now. Doesn't matter which county you apply for certification. You won't get a county card.

In 2010, we also got rid of the whole EMT-1 or EMT-I (equivalent of EMT-Basic NREMT old standard, it's now just EMT for both CA and NREMT) and EMT-2 or EMT-II (equivalent of EMT-Intermediate NREMT old standard, it is now just AEMT for both CA and NREMT).