(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, an applicant for a license as a paramedic shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Commissioner of Public Health that the applicant has successfully (1) completed a paramedic training program approved by the commissioner, and (2) passed an examination prescribed by the commissioner.

(b) An applicant for licensure by endorsement shall present evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant (1) is licensed or certified as a paramedic in another state or jurisdiction whose requirements for practicing in such capacity are substantially similar to or higher than those of this state and that the applicant has no pending disciplinary action or unresolved complaint against him or her, or (2) (A) is currently licensed or certified as a paramedic in good standing in any New England state, New York or New Jersey, (B) has completed an initial training program consistent with the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards, as promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the paramedic scope of practice model conducted by an organization offering a program that is recognized by the national emergency medical services program accrediting organization, and (C) has no pending disciplinary action or unresolved complaint against him or her.

(c) Any person who is certified as an emergency medical technician-paramedic by the Department of Public Health on October 1, 1997, shall be deemed a licensed paramedic. Any person so deemed shall renew his license pursuant to section 19a-88 for a fee of one hundred fifty dollars.

(d) The commissioner may issue an emergency medical technician certificate, emergency medical responder certificate or advanced emergency medical technician certificate to an applicant who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant (1) is currently certified as an emergency medical technician, emergency medical responder, or advanced emergency medical technician in good standing in any New England state, New York or New Jersey, (2) has completed an initial training program consistent with the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards, as promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the emergency medical technician, emergency medical responder curriculum, or advanced emergency medical technician, and (3) has no pending disciplinary action or unresolved complaint against him or her.

(e) An emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician or emergency medical services instructor shall be recertified every three years. For the purpose of maintaining an acceptable level of proficiency, each emergency medical technician who is recertified for a three-year period shall complete thirty hours of refresher training approved by the commissioner or meet such other requirements as may be prescribed by the commissioner. The refresher training or other requirements shall include, but not be limited to, training in Alzheimer's disease and dementia symptoms and care.

(f) The commissioner may issue a temporary emergency medical technician certificate to an applicant who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that (1) the applicant was certified by the department as an emergency medical technician prior to becoming licensed as a paramedic pursuant to section 20-206ll, or (2) the applicant's certification as an emergency medical technician has expired and the applicant's license as a paramedic has become void pursuant to section 19a-88. Such temporary certificate shall be valid for a period not to exceed one year and shall not be renewable.

(g) An applicant who is issued a temporary emergency medical technician certificate pursuant to subsection (f) of this section may, prior to the expiration of such temporary certificate, apply to the department for: (1) Renewal of such person's paramedic license, giving such person's name in full, such person's residence and business address and such other information as the department requests, provided the application for license renewal is accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant was under the medical oversight of a sponsor hospital, as those terms are defined in section 19a-175, on the date the applicant's paramedic license became void for nonrenewal; or (2) recertification as an emergency medical technician, provided the application for recertification is accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant completed emergency medical technician refresher training approved by the commissioner not later than one year after issuance of the temporary emergency medical technician certificate. The department shall recertify such person as an emergency medical technician without the examination required for initial certification specified in regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 20-206oo.

(h) The commissioner may issue an emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician certificate to an applicant for certification by endorsement who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant (1) is currently certified as an emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician in good standing by a state that maintains licensing requirements that the commissioner determines are equal to, or greater than, those in this state, (2) has completed an initial department-approved emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician training program that includes written and practical examinations at the completion of the course, or a program outside the state that adheres to national education standards for the emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician scope of practice and that includes an examination, and (3) has no pending disciplinary action or unresolved complaint against him or her.

(i) The commissioner may issue an emergency medical service instructor certificate to an applicant who presents (1) evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant is currently certified as an emergency medical technician in good standing, (2) documentation satisfactory to the commissioner, with reference to national education standards, regarding qualifications as an emergency medical service instructor, (3) a letter of endorsement signed by two instructors holding current emergency medical service instructor certification, (4) documentation of having completed written and practical examinations as prescribed by the commissioner, and (5) evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant has no pending disciplinary action or unresolved complaints against him or her.

(j) Any person certified as an emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician or emergency medical services instructor pursuant to this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to section 20-206oo whose certification has expired may apply to the Department of Public Health for reinstatement of such certification as follows: (1) If such certification expired one year or less from the date of the application for reinstatement, such person shall complete the requirements for recertification specified in regulations adopted pursuant to section 20-206oo; (2) if such recertification expired more than one year but less than three years from the date of application for reinstatement, such person shall complete the training required for recertification and the examination required for initial certification specified in regulations adopted pursuant to section 20-206oo; or (3) if such certification expired three or more years from the date of application for reinstatement, such person shall complete the requirements for initial certification set forth in this section. Any certificate issued pursuant to this section shall remain valid for ninety days after the expiration date of such certificate and become void upon the expiration of such ninety-day period.

(k) The Commissioner of Public Health shall issue an emergency medical technician certification to an applicant who is a member of the armed forces or the National Guard or a veteran and who (1) presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that such applicant holds a current certification as a person entitled to perform similar services under a different designation by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, or (2) satisfies the regulations promulgated pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 19a-179. Such applicant shall be exempt from any written or practical examination requirement for certification.

(l) For the purposes of this section, “veteran” means any person who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from active service in the armed forces and “armed forces” has the same meaning as provided in section 27-103.

(P.A. 97-311, S. 12; P.A. 04-221, S. 37; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 224; P.A. 14-141, S. 4; 14-231, S. 20; P.A. 15-223, S. 8; 15-242, S. 43.)

History: P.A. 04-221 made a technical change in Subsec. (a) and amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing requirements re paramedic licensure or certification as Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (2) re licensure by endorsement for persons licensed in New England states, New York or New Jersey, completion of initial training program and no pending disciplinary action or unresolved complaint, and making technical changes, effective June 8, 2004; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (c) to increase fee from $75 to $150; P.A. 14-141 added provisions, codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (i), re issuance of emergency medical technician certification to member of armed forces or the National Guard or veteran who meets criteria and added provisions, codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (j), defining “veteran” and “armed forces”; P.A. 14-231 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “mobile intensive care” with “paramedic” and making a technical change, amended Subsec. (b) by substantially revising Subdiv. (2)(B) re initial training program, added Subsec. (d) re issuance of emergency medical technician certificate or emergency medical responder certificate, added Subsec. (e) re issuance of temporary emergency medical technician certificate, added Subsec. (f) re applicant who is issued temporary emergency medical technician certificate, added Subsec. (g) re issuance of emergency medical responder certificate to applicant currently certified in another state and added Subsec. (h) re issuance of emergency medical services instructor certificate; P.A. 15-223 amended Subsec. (d) to add references to advanced emergency medical technician, added new Subsec. (e) re recertification, redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (f) and (g), redesignated existing Subsec. (g) as Subsec. (h) and amended same to add references to emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician and certification by endorsement, redesignated existing Subsec. (h) as Subsec. (i), added new Subsec. (j) re certification reinstatement, redesignated existing Subsecs. (i) and (j) as Subsecs. (k) and (l), and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 15-242 amended Subsec. (h) by making a technical change.