(A)

(1) The state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services shall issue a certificate to practice as a first responder to an applicant who meets all of the following conditions:

(a) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, is a volunteer for a nonprofit emergency medical service organization or a nonprofit fire department;

(b) Holds the appropriate certificate of completion issued in accordance with section 4765.24 of the Revised Code;

(c) Passes the appropriate examination conducted under section 4765.29 of the Revised Code;

(d) Is not in violation of any provision of this chapter or the rules adopted under it;

(e) Meets any other certification requirements established in rules adopted under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code.

(2) The board may waive the requirement to be a volunteer for a nonprofit entity if the applicant meets other requirements established in rules adopted under division (B)(3) of section 4765.11 of the Revised Code relative to a person's eligibility to practice as a first responder.

(B) The state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services shall issue a certificate to practice as an emergency medical technician-basic to an applicant who meets all of the following conditions:

(1) Holds a certificate of completion in emergency medical services training-basic issued in accordance with section 4765.24 of the Revised Code;

(2) Passes the examination for emergency medical technicians-basic conducted under section 4765.29 of the Revised Code;

(3) Is not in violation of any provision of this chapter or the rules adopted under it;

(4) Meets any other certification requirements established in rules adopted under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code.

(C) The state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services shall issue a certificate to practice as an emergency medical technician-intermediate or emergency medical technician-paramedic to an applicant who meets all of the following conditions:

(1) Holds a certificate to practice as an emergency medical technician-basic;

(2) Holds the appropriate certificate of completion issued in accordance with section 4765.24 of the Revised Code;

(3) Passes the appropriate examination conducted under section 4765.29 of the Revised Code;

(4) Is not in violation of any provision of this chapter or the rules adopted under it;

(5) Meets any other certification requirements established in rules adopted under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code.

(D) A certificate to practice shall have a certification cycle established by the board and may be renewed by the board pursuant to rules adopted under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code. Not later than sixty days prior to the expiration date of an individual's certificate to practice, the board shall notify the individual of the scheduled expiration.

An application for renewal shall be accompanied by the appropriate renewal fee established in rules adopted under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code, unless the board waives the fee on determining pursuant to those rules that the applicant cannot afford to pay the fee. Except as provided in division (B) of section 4765.31 of the Revised Code, the application shall include evidence of either of the following:

(1) That the applicant received a certificate of completion from the appropriate emergency medical services continuing education program pursuant to section 4765.24 of the Revised Code;

(2) That the applicant has successfully passed an examination that demonstrates the competence to have a certificate renewed without completing an emergency medical services continuing education program. The board shall approve such examinations in accordance with rules adopted under section 4765.11 of the Revised Code.

(E) The board shall not require an applicant for renewal of a certificate to practice to take an examination as a condition of renewing the certificate. This division does not preclude the use of examinations by operators of approved emergency medical services continuing education programs as a condition for issuance of a certificate of completion in emergency medical services continuing education.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 7, HB 51, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2013.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 11-03-2000 .