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The San Mateo County EMS Agency certifies and recertifies EMT-Is in accordance with Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code and the California Code of Regulations Title 22. EMT certification is recognized statewide.
How do I apply?
To apply for certification or recertification you will need to complete an application form . The application forms are available at our office and on our website http://www.smhealth.org/ems.
Important: If you are applying for the first time in San Mateo County you should expect the process to take up to a month. This is because we require a Department of Justice background check.
You must apply in person. You will need to come to our office and bring all required materials with you.
You must apply for certification within two years of the date of your course completion.
When can I apply?
The San Mateo County EMS Agency accepts EMT-I applications Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 8 a.m. - 10a.m. and 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary. The office is closed on holidays.
Fingerprinting/Background Checks
We require background checks for all EMTs. This is only done once - the first time you certify in San Mateo County. So if you are a brand new EMT certifying for the first time or if you are an already certified EMT who is certifying for the first time in San Mateo County, you will need to have a background check.
For the background check you need to be fingerprinted by an Agency that uses "Live Scan." The Live Scan process is much faster than the "Hard Card" process. Live Scan usually provides results within 7 days but it may take as long as several weeks.
You can have the Live Scan done prior to submitting your application at our office. You must complete the Request For Live Scan form that lists San Mateo County EMS as the "Contributing Agency." This specific form directs the Department of Justice to send the results to San Mateo County EMS Agency. The results must be sent directly to our Agency. We do not accept live scan results that are sent to another agency.
The Request for Live Scan form is a triplicate form. If you use the form posted on our website you will need to make three copies of the form. When you have your live scan done, the Live Scan Agency will keep one copy of the completed form. You should mail, FAX (650) 573-2029, or bring the second copy of the completed form to the San Mateo County EMS Agency. You may keep the third copy for your records.
When you fill out the Request For Live Scan Services form, you are to fill out the third box area. The information that is needed is your name, any aliases (e.g., maiden name), driver's license number, sex, height, weight, eye color, hair color, place of birth, and social security number.
You may have the fingerprinting done by any agency that performs the "Live Scan." You should call the Live Scan Agency ahead of time to make an appointment. A list of all California Live Scan sites is available on the Department of Justice Website: http://caag.state.ca.us/fingerprints/index.htm. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may call us for the location of a Live Scan site near you. The following locations are Live Scan sites within San Mateo County.
Burlingame Police Department
1111 Trousdale Drive
Burlingame
(650) 777-4100
San Mateo County Office of Education
101 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City
(650) 802-5343
San Mateo County Sheriff's Department
400 CountyCenter
Redwood City
(650) 599-1520
Redwood City Police Department
1301 Maple Street
Redwood City
(650) 780-7100
The Live Scan agency will charge a fee. The amount of the fee varies by agency.
The Department of Justice will contact our office regarding the results of your background check. Usually we receive the results within a few days but occasionally it takes several weeks.
Which EMT-I Certification tests are approved by San Mateo County?
The State of California requires the National Registry EMT-Basic Examination as our EMT-1 Certification Examination for all EMT-1s.
How do I find an EMT-1 certification exam?
A list of Pearson Vue exam centers located throughout the Bay Area, California and the Western United States is available by clicking here. There are Pearson Vue sites in many other locations.
EMT-1 National Registry testing for San Mateo County
Starting January 1, 2006 nationwide all National Registry Testing for EMT-1’s will be computer based. If you test or retest after January 1, 2007, you will need to follow the directions in Taking or Retaking the NREMT Computer Based Exam to complete the National Registry Test process. The National Registry also has instructions available. You can always visit their website at www.nremt.org as well. A list of Pearson Vue exam centers located throughout the Bay Area, California and the Western United States is available by clicking here. There are Pearson Vue sites in many other locations.
In order to take the NREMT computer based exam, you must have completed an approved EMT Training program in the previous 12 months. If it has been longer than 12 months you must complete a new Skills Verification exam. If your county EMT certificate has been expired for more than 12 months, you must take a 24-hour Refresher class and complete a Skills Verification exam.
Fees
The current San Mateo County EMT certification application fee is $30. It is non-refundable. Payment may be in cash (exact change, cashier's check, money order, or personal check). In the event that a personal check is returned unpaid by a financial institution, there will be an additional fee of $25 and the certification will not be processed until we receive cash payment in full.
What must you bring to the EMS Office if you are applying for your first EMT-I certification?
- A completed San Mateo County EMT Application Form (this can be completed at our office at the time of application)
- A copy of your EMT-I Course Completion Record
- A copy of your National Registry certification card
- A copy of your California Driver's License
- One color photograph of yourself (passport size)
- A copy of your CPR certificate including Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
Recertification
New regulations were passed in October 2004 regarding recertification of EMT-1s in California. There is no grace period for EMT certification. Your certification will expire on the last day of the month listed on your EMT Certification card. You may recertify in San Mateo County regardless of where your original certification was obtained. You will however need to complete a background check the first time you certify in San Mateo County. Twenty-four (24) hours of approved continuing education is required for recertification every 2 years. If continuous certification is maintained, no additional written testing is required. You will need to submit a Skills Competency Verification Form completed by an approved EMS system provider agency or EMT-1 Training program every 2 years.
Approved Continuing Education courses
An approved CE provider must provide the Continuing Education (CE) courses used for EMT recertification and paramedic licensure. CE providers are approved by a local EMS agency, such as San Mateo County EMS or the state EMS Authority. Approved CE hours may be used anywhere in the state. These courses may be offered through hospitals, fire departments, EMS provider agencies, EMS training programs and private companies. If courses are provided by on line or out of state providers they must be approved by Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS) or an approved by EMS offices of other states.
Course content
The content of EMS education must be relevant to the practice of the paramedic or EMT-1. Topics should be contained in the National Standard Curricula for training EMS personnel or relevant to the practice of the EMS provider. If you have any questions about a specific course please contact the EMS agency at (650) 573-2564.
Continuing Education delivery formats and limitations
Continuing education may be obtained for any of the following:
- Classroom lecture or skills laboratory where direct interaction with the Instructor is possible
- Organized field care audits
- Courses offered by accredited universities and colleges, including junior and community colleges
- Structured clinical experience, with instructional objectives
- Media based and/or serial productions (e.g. films, videos, audiotape programs, magazine articles offered for CE credit, home study, computer simulations or interactive computer modules)
- Precepting EMS students or EMS personnel as a hospital clinical preceptor, as assigned by an EMS training program, EMS service provider, or hospital or base hospital. (Please see California Code of Regulations Title 22, Division 9 Chapter 11, 100391.1 (a) (6) and (7) for specific limitations).
- Advanced topics in subject matter outside the scope of practice of the certified or licensed EMS personnel but directly relevant to emergency medical care.
At least fifty percent of the required CE hours must be in a format that is instructor based.
For additional information please refer to the state EMS Authority website at http://emsa.ca.gov . Go to the section on Statute and Regulations. CE regulations, California Code of Regulations Title 22, Division 9, Chapter 11 Article 2.
Continuing Education certificates
CE certificates should be kept for four years. Copies must be submitted with your recertification or relicensure application. CE Certificates from an approved CE provider should state the topic of the course, the number of hours earned and the CE provider number.
What must you bring to the EMS Office if you are applying for recertification?
- A completed San Mateo County EMT Application Form (this can be completed at our office at the time of application)
- Your current EMT-I certificate (EMT-I card)
- CPR certificate including Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
- California Driver's License
- One color photograph of yourself (passport size)
- Evidence of 24 hours of EMT continuing education, provided by a California approved EMT Continuing Education Provider, or completion of a 24-hour EMT refresher course
- Documentation of successful completion every two years of a skills verification exam. The Skills Competency Verification Form must be submitted with your recertification application.
What if I am an EMT-I but my certification has expired?
If your EMT-1 Certificate has expired you will need to do one of the following based on the length of time your card has been expired.
- Card expired 6 months or less:
- Submit 24 hours of continuing education, and
- Skills verification examination
- Card expired over 6 months but less than 1 year:
- Submit a total of 36 hours of continuing education, and
- Skills verification examination
- Card expired over 1 year and less than 2 years:
- Submit 48 hrs of continuing education, and
- Skills verification examination, and
- Documentation of successful completion of the National Registry EMT-B examination
- Card expired over 2 years
- The EMT-1 course must be repeated and certification will be treated as initial certification
California law does not permit an EMT-I with an expired certificate to work as an EMT-1.
How long will it take to receive my San Mateo County EMT-I certification?
We will mail your EMT-I certificate (EMT-I card) after all the certification requirements have been satisfied, including the background check. If no background check is required, your certificate should arrive within two weeks from the time of application.
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