Ohio Public Risk Insurance Agency Inc.

The laws they reference do not support what their original letter promoted.  That letter indicated that 16 hours of training are required by Ohio Law for emergency response organizations.  Again, it is only required for personnel who are NOT certified EMTs or Firefighters.  Emergency response organizations typically do not have noncertified Fire Fighters and EMTs operating their vehicles.

The Good Afternoon Assistant Chief [redacted], We truly appreciate you sharing your concerns with us and we have spent a considerable amount of time investigating your concerns with verbiage of the letter.  This letter was in invitation to attend an EVDT Train the Trainer class that we will be...

having in your area.   To address your questions we contacted our instructors which are Ohio Certified Instructors that are current Full Time Fire/EMS Chiefs or retired Full Time Fire/EMS Chiefs and so it has taken a little time to complete our review. Below is a copy of ORC 4765.43 Ambulance Staffing  (B) (2) that you referenced in your e-mail to our office however there is no wording in our letter that contradicts this code.  There was no reference in the letter to specific training for “certified “EMT’s, AEMT’s, Paramedics or Firefighters. We have also attached a copy of the Volunteer Firefighter Course Objectives Check-Off Sheet which as you will see provides information regarding training and the importance of such. As stated in our letter that you received our program is a  two-day, 16-hour Emergency Vehicle Drivers’ Training class that includes classroom as well has hands on driving  for training officers that meets the standards of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Ohio Fire Academy and the NFPA.   Our goal is to provide an extensive EVDT training program and we are certainly not in the business of providing “fictitious requirements in our class notices”.   4765.43 Ambulance staffing.(A) During each emergency run made by an ambulance that is equipped for emergency medical services, the emergency medical service organization operating the ambulance shall staff the ambulance in accordance with this section.For purposes of determining the applicable staffing requirements, both of the following apply:(1) An emergency run consists of components that are distinguished between the period during which the ambulance is traveling to the scene of an emergency and, if applicable, the period during which the ambulance is transporting a patient from the scene of the emergency.(2) In the case of an emergency medical service organization that utilizes a combination of volunteer and paid first responders, emergency medical service technicians-basic, emergency medical service technicians-intermediate, or emergency medical service technicians-paramedic, the organization is considered to be substantially utilizing volunteers in a particular week when the paid individuals, taken as a whole, are scheduled for a total of not more than one hundred ninety-two hours in that week.(B) With respect to the driver of an ambulance during an emergency run, both of the following apply:(1) The driver must be at least eighteen years of age and hold a valid driver's license.(2) The driver must meet at least one of the following criteria:(a) Hold a valid certificate issued under section 4765.30 of the Revised Code to practice as a medical first responder, EMT, advanced EMT, or paramedic ;(b) Hold a valid fire training certificate issued pursuant to section 4765.55 of the Revised Code to provide services as a firefighter;(c) Be employed and in good standing as a sworn sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, police officer, marshal, deputy marshal, or highway patrol trooper in this state;(d) Have successfully completed either the emergency vehicle operations course approved by the national highway traffic safety administration or an equivalent course approved by the state board of emergency medical services.(C) With respect to the component of an emergency run during which the ambulance is traveling to the scene of the emergency, the ambulance shall be staffed by at least one EMT, advanced EMT, or paramedic. This individual may serve as the driver.(D) With respect to the component of an emergency run during which a patient is being transported, the ambulance shall be staffed as follows:(1) If the emergency medical service organization utilizes only paid individuals or utilizes volunteers on a basis that is not considered to be substantially utilizing volunteers, the ambulance shall be staffed by at least two EMTs, advanced EMTs, or paramedics. One of these individuals may serve as the driver.(2) If the emergency medical service organization is substantially utilizing volunteers or utilizes only volunteers, the ambulance shall be staffed by at least two EMTs, advanced EMTs, or paramedics or by at least one first responder and one EMT, advanced EMT, or paramedic. One of these individuals may serve as the driver, but if the staffing requirement is being met by utilizing a medical first responder, the medical first responder shall serve as the driver.Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.95, SB 243, §1, eff. 7/3/2012.Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.27, HB 128, §1, eff. 9/23/2011.Effective Date: 11-24-1995; 2008 SB129 12-30-200.   4765-11-11 Firefighter I course.[Comment: For dates and availability of material incorporated by reference in this rule, see paragraph (CC) in rule 4765-11-01 of the Administrative Code.](A) A training course for a firefighter I certificate shall meet the "Firefighter I Course Objectives," to include the following training requirements:(1) A minimum of one hundred thirty-six hours that meets all objectives in the "NFPA 1001," for firefighter I;(2) An emergency vehicle operator course consisting of a minimum of sixteen hours that is approved by the chartered program and is consistent with the requirements of the "NFPA 1002" and "NFPA 1451;"(3) A minimum of four hours on the "Courage to be Safe: Sixteen Life Safety Initiatives Course."(B) The training requirements listed in paragraph (A) of this rule shall commence and end within a consecutive twelve-month period.Replaces: 4765-11-11Effective: 04/07/2014 R.C. 119.032 review dates: 01/16/2019 Promulgated Under: 119.03  Statutory Authority: 4765.55 Rule Amplifies: 4765.55 Prior Effective Dates: 6/30/75, 5/1/79, 1/1/89, 1/1/96, 7/3/97, 9/25/00, 9/30/04 and 1/24/08 4765-11-13 Firefighter I and II course.[Comment: For dates and availability of material incorporated by reference in this rule, see paragraph (CC) in rule 4765-11-01 of the Administrative Code.](A) A training course for firefighter I and II certification shall meet the "Firefighter I Course Objectives" and the "Firefighter II Course Objectives," to include the following training requirements:(1) A minimum of two hundred forty hours that meets all objectives in "NFPA 1001," for firefighter I and II;(2) An emergency vehicle operator course consisting of a minimum of sixteen hours that is approved by the chartered program and is consistent with the requirements of "NFPA 1002" and "NFPA 1451;"(3) A minimum of four hours on the "Courage to Be Safe, Sixteen Life Safety Initiatives Course."(B) Previous training credit may be given for paragraph (A)(2) to (A)(3) of this rule, if the training is recognized by the program director of a chartered program and has been completed within twenty-four months of the course start date.(C) The training requirements listed in paragraph (A) of this rule shall commence and end within a consecutive twelve-month period.Replaces: 4765-11-13Effective: 04/07/2014 R.C. 119.032 review dates: 01/16/2019 Promulgated Under: 119.03  Statutory Authority: 4765.55 Rule Amplifies: 4765.55 Prior Effective Dates: 6/30/75, 5/1/70, 1/1/89, 1/1/96, 9/30/00, 9/30/04 and 01/24/08   Thank you,  Zachary [redacted]VP of Sales and Marketing Ohio Public Risk Insurance Agency DBA VFIS of OhioW-800-733-0159D -513-683-3301Website  Email  Facebook following response was provided to Asst. Chief [redacted] via e-mail on 3/31/17: