MOUNT VERNON — First responders such as firefighters and emergency medical technicians will soon be able to access, renew and confirm their certification with a new online certification process being developed by the Ohio Emergency Medical Services department.
In a Dec. 13 press release, Ohio Division of EMS Director Richard Rucker said, “With the online service, the certification time is cut dramatically and will also work with federal credentialing due to applicants receiving proof of renewal instantaneously. It will increase the level of the EMS work pool as it relates to emergency preparedness and homeland security efforts.”
Chief Joe Porter of the Central Ohio Joint Fire District believes the online system will make the process a lot quicker. He said everything’s going into the computer, anyway, and already uses an online system to verify job applicants’ certification, which “helps a lot with necessary paperwork.”
Gambier Fire Chief Bob Hooper thinks the online system will be especially helpful to volunteer departments such as his. Volunteers often have full-time jobs and family obligations which may make it hard for them to maintain or update certification in a timely manner. Hooper keeps hard copies of the volunteers’ training hours, training topics and certification card, though electronic verification and electronic copies are accepted by Ohio EMS.
Paramedic Andy Weber said he is all for the new system if it expedites getting the recertification cards. Some continuing education classes are available online, he said, but verification of training through the mail can be time consuming and misplaced certification paperwork is an occasional problem. Weber expects the new system will also reduce the number of audits used to verify training hours before new cards are issued.
Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District Chief Larry Stimpert said a fast return on recertification requests will be a benefit to his department. He said it is up to individuals to maintain their cards, and to keep track of the training they receive in the monthly continuing education sessions provided through the fire department. The individual then sends the paperwork to the state, and it sometimes takes time for the chief to receive confirmation that an individual has indeed been recertified.
Ohio EMS certification coordinator John Kennington said, “Our new service [expected to be available online in early 2007] will expedite certification because everything is done in real time. The applicant will pull the application online, submit the completed application and receive an instant confirmation.”