Emergency Medical Services Board

Ambulance Service Information

Ambulance Service Directory

Go to the EMS Service Directory for a list of EMS services for a specific county. Select the county from the drop down list at the top of the directory page for the county list to appear.

Ambulance Service Forms

Run Data Reporting

The Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Information System (TNEMSIS) was developed through a collaborative effort with NEMSIS (National Emergency Management Services Information System) and the Tennessee EMS Data Committee in an ongoing effort to collect accurate data. TNEMSIS has been revised to correspond with the current NEMSIS data standard v3.4.0.

The purpose of the TNEMSIS Elite pre-hospital electronic patient encounter data collection system is to electronically accept, validate, maintain and report on statewide incident information.

Historically, EMS in the state of Tennessee is mandated to provide information on every ambulance call (incident/encounter) to which they respond. Currently, the Tennessee State Department of Health, Office of EMS is utilizing an ImageTrend database system to collect and store pre-hospital patient care encounter data. This data is received by electronic submission to EMS, directly or through an imported .XML file. The system validates the records from the submission and generates any exceptions for quality assurance review.

The TNEMSIS Elite system will replace the existing EMITS system used to maintain incident encounter information.

Quality data collection is key to local and state-wide system development as it enables Tennessee to continually improve our EMS system, measure processes and make improvements for the overall health of all Tennesseans receiving EMS pre-hospital care.

• www.nemsis.org

Meetings, Members, & Minutes

Meeting Schedule

Public Notices will remain online until the minutes are ratified and posted on the Meeting Minutes page.

Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at 665 Mainstream Drive, MetroCenter.

Members

Meeting Minutes

Copies of all minutes are maintained in the official record section of the administrative office. Please contact the board administrator to make arrangements to review minutes of meetings held prior to 2004.

Select by Year

EMS Certifiction & Licensure Information

State Practical Examination

Renewing Certification and Licensure

EMS Professional renewal date is based on the individual’s birth month and year. EMS Professional license will expire on the last day of the individual’s birth month in either an odd or even year depending on whether the individual was born in an odd or even year. Example: Birthday 12-05-1972, expiration date, 12-31-2018.

Renewal Requirements:

Individuals who have elected to receive a renewal notice by email will not receive a paper renewal application. There is limited information sent when renewing by email. If you need more details about renewing, click here: Renewal/CE Information - 1/22/24

Click for the licensure renewal website to renew online.

If you elected to receive notice by email and prefer to send a renewal by mail, you must download the EMS Application and Fees Form (PH-2397) under the tab “EMS Personnel Forms.” This form must be completed, signed, and mailed with your fee.

Continuing Education Requirements:

For the breakdown of required Continuing Education (CE) hours, for each level of licensure/certification that was approved by the EMS Board and became effective on 7-1-2016 click on the link below.

Board Approved CE Requirements  Rev. 1-19-22

Retirement of License

The Emergency Medical Services Rules and Regulations now allow for individuals who so desire to retire their Professional EMS License. Any currently licensed EMS Professional who wishes to permanently retire his or her license must submit the properly completed permanent Affidavit of Retirement form to the Office of Emergency Medical Service. You cannot retire an expired license. A retired license may be reinstated in accordance with the Emergency Medical Services Rules 1200-12-1-.04

Retirement Affidavit

Continuing Education

Failure to comply with continuing education requirements may result in disciplinary action against the licensee or registrant. The disciplinary action will be reported on the Department of Health license verification web site. 

CE Broker

Continuing Education Links

• http://www.medic-ce.com
• https://www.recert.com/
  
• www.BenchmarkEMS.com
• www.lzontheweb.com
• Children’s Emergency Care Alliance of Tennessee
  
• http://www.tnemsea.com/#/
• Tennessee Ambulance Service Association (TASA)
• www.seemsda.org
• www.r2ems.com
• www.ucems.org
• http://mtemsda.org/
• www.wcjcems.org
• www.roanestate.edu/?5632-Continuing-Healthcare-Education
• https://911coned.com/
• https://www.primemedicaltraining.com/
• https://www.emtfiretraining.com

Disaster Planning & Operations

The EMS Office has an important role in state government disaster planning and operations. The Office’s responsibilities are delineated in the Tennessee Emergency Management Plan (TEMP), which is developed by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA).

The TEMP is written on the Federal Response Plan format of specific Emergency Support Functions, or ESFs, that categorize disaster services. EMS responsibilities are identified in ESF #8, Health & Medical Services. This ESF outlines Public Health, EMS and Mental Health disaster services. Go to TEMA’s web site, www.tnema.org for more information on these topics.

EMS Office responsibilities include:

1. Developing casualty reports. When deaths or injuries occur in a disaster, TEMA tasks EMS with the responsibility of verifying deaths and injuries, determining where patients were transported and by what means. Official state casualty reports are produced by EMS Office staff.
2. Health care facility damage assessment and assistance. EMS staff provide initial damage assessment and help to any health care facility damaged or disabled in a disaster. This includes reporting to TEMA and the Office of Health Care Facilities.
3. Assistance to county EMS agencies. When a mass casualty incident occurs, regional EMS staff can assist local ambulance services manage the consequences. This includes contacting other services for help, identifying staging areas for responding ambulances and distributing patients to hospitals within the region. The emergency evacuation of health care facilities is part of this responsibility.
4. Participation in disaster meetings, planning development workshops, training sessions and exercises. The Office regularly participates in TEMA coordinated planning sessions and exercises, which include TVA nuclear plants, the Oak Ridge/Dept. of Energy facilities and earthquake exercises.

To ensure that these emergency management responsibilities can be carried out rapidly, the EMS Office management and all regional staff are on call 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Education Information

The EMS Office promotes the training of emergency medical services personnel based on sound educational principles, current medical knowledge and practice. The Emergency Medical Services Board approves all educational institutions desiring to train EMT, AEMT, Paramedic and Critical Care Paramedics. Educational Institutions wishing to provide EMS training will make application to the EMS Office. Once application is received and reviewed by the Office a site visit to the institution is scheduled. The EMS Office then makes a recommendation to the EMS Board as to the institutions compliance with EMS Rule: 1200-12-1-.13.

Instructor Application

Instructor COURSE Information

INSTRUCTOR APPLICATION PACKET Rev 8/2025

APPROVED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS - EMR, EMT, AEMT, PARAMEDIC  REV 06/2024                                                              

APPROVED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS - CRITICAL CARE PARAMEDIC                                                                  

REGIONAL EMS OFFICES Rev 8/2024

Certification-Based Education

Approved Educational Instituions - EMR, EMT, AEMT, PARAMEDIC  REV 06/2024                                                              

Approved Educational Institutions - Critical Care Paramedic                                                                  

Regional EMS Offices Rev 8/2024

Approved Curriculums

• Domestic Violence
• Transport Ventilators
• Critical Care Standards and Modules

Tennessee EMS Telecommunications (Radio)

The Office of Emergency Medical Services coordinates provision of effective and rapid delivery of emergency medical services to the general population and operational radio communications between ambulances and hospitals. The Office maintains liaison with emergency service agencies and the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board concerning access of emergency medical services through the 911 emergency-telephone system. [Communications]

Telecommunications coordination is a responsibility established in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title §68-140-201 et seq. Special radio systems and frequencies are used to dispatch ambulances and provide for medical communications between the ambulance and hospital. These components are identified in EMS rules and the EMS Telecommunications Plan, which was last revised in July 2015.

The Federal Communications Commission must license EMS radio stations or communications systems. Information on federal regulations, licensing requirements, and forms may be obtained from their website, www.fcc.gov.

Regional Medical Communications Center (RMCC)

An RMCC is a state designated communications entity with a regional mission and focus that coordinates hospitals, ambulance services and other medical resources, in real time, to optimize emergency patient care in situations where local governments and health care providers request assistance. RMCCs are authorized by TCA 68-140-201—208 and EMS Board rules 1200-12-1-.08.

There are currently 8 Regional Medical Communication Centers throughout the state. They are located in Johnson City, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Cookeville, Nashville, Columbia, Jackson and Memphis.

Regional EMS System

A multi-county system comprised of all hospitals, ambulance services, dispatch centers and related entities that functions as an interactive emergency health care network coordinated through a regional medical communications center for the purposes of providing medical information and coordinating patient movement and medical resources.

Radio Systems Analyst for State of Tennessee 
Vince Cuevas
vincent.cuevas@tn.gov
(615) 906-5068
 

Peer Assistance Program

The Tennessee Professional Assistance Program (TNPAP) is a voluntary program made available through the Tennessee Board of Emergency Medical Services. The program offers consultation, referral, and monitoring for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Providers whose practice is impaired, or potentially impaired, due to the use of drugs or alcohol, or psychological or physiological condition.

A referral can be made confidentially by an employer, Employee Assistance Program, co-worker, family member, friend, or the practitioner her/himself. If the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Provider is willing to undergo a thorough evaluation to determine the extent of the problem and any treatment needed, all information is kept confidential from the EMS Board and the EMS Provider does not face disciplinary action against his/her professional license.

Addiction is a significant problem among all health care professionals, in all areas of the country. It is a chronic, progressive illness that can be treated effectively. As with all chronic illnesses, the earlier the identification and treatment, the better the prognosis.
Some signs of addiction in EMS Providers are listed below:

• Mood swings; inappropriate behavior at work; frequent days off for implausible reasons; non-compliance with acceptable policies and procedures; deteriorating appearance; deteriorating job performance; sloppy, illegible charting; errors in charting; alcohol on the breath; forgetfulness; poor judgment, concentration, and lying.
• Other characteristics of addiction include high achievement, both as a student and an EMS Providers, volunteering for overtime and extra duties, no drug use until prescribed following surgery or a chronic illness, and family history of alcoholism or addiction.

Of course, any of these characteristics may be symptoms of a number of other problems besides addiction.

If you have questions or concerns, contact the Tennessee Professional Assistance Program. The staff is centrally located in Nashville, but will assist with an EMS Provider in any part of the state. TNPAP can also be utilized to provide educational presentations regarding addiction for institutions, professional organizations, EMS educational programs and schools.  You can contact their office for more information or to schedule a presentation.

Tennessee Professional Assistance Program
545 Mainstream Drive, Suite 414
Nashville, TN 37228-1201
Phone: 615-726-4001 or
Toll Free: 1-888-776-0786
Fax: 615-726-4003
Email: www.tnpap.org
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday

Policies, Rules, & Statutes

Policies

Criminal Background Check

Refund Request

Reinstatement Process

Renewal - Random CE Audit

Renewal -Military Active Duty

Retirement Request

EMA Compact Licensure

License Upgrade (within 8 months of Expiry)

CE Audit Policy (Brd approved 9/18/2024)

Rules

Rules and Regulations

Information for EMS Medical Directors

The EMS Office contracts with a licensed physician as the State EMS Medical Director to provide medical consultation to the Office and EMS Board and the Office of General Counsel for investigations and contested case hearings. The state Medical Director also provides medical advice to training institutions and service medical directors plus acts as liaison with professional medical groups, facilities and individual practitioners.

This physician also serves as chair of the EMS Board’s Clinical Issues Committee, which processes all medically related issues before they are presented to the Board. In this capacity, the Medical Director has responsibility for the development and updating of treatment protocols, review of new procedures and drugs, quality assurance standards, and the clinical content of training programs.

Joe Holley, M.D. FACEP
Tennessee Department of Health
Office of Emergency Medical Service
665 Mainstream Drive, 1st Floor
Nashville, TN  37243
615-741-2584

EMS Medical Directors Roles

The EMS Medical Director has the responsibility to provide oversight for the medical aspects related to planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the EMS system.  This includes all medical components for systems of care supported by public policy that integrate or interface with the EMS system, such as those listed: .

• Domestic preparedness
• EMS for children / neonatal transport
• Stroke plan
• Cardiac plan
• Other systems of specialized care through which EMS patient care is delivered

The EMS Medical Directors oversees the establishment of protocols, policies, and procedures for all patient care activities from dispatch through triage, treatment, and transport for all emergency responders (EMS, fire, hazmat, police, etc.).  He or she is involved in the EMS continuous quality improvement program involving all entities including First Responder Agency under the EMS Service providing patient care.

The EMS Medical Director also serves as an advocate for efficient and effective emergency medical services, ensuring delivery of medical care that is consistent with professionally recognized standards.  The EMS Medical Director assures quality care management to ensure professional and public accountability for medical care provided within the EMS system.

The EMS Medical Director recommends medical policies and procedures to be included in the treatment and transport protocols, ensuring appropriateness of training and certification of the EMS providers practicing under his or her guidance.   The EMS Medical Director recommends corrective action and disciplinary action when necessary for an EMS service or EMS provider when cause is related to a quality of care issue.
The EMS Medical Director assists the state EMS regulatory agency to assure compliance with applicable rules and regulations.

The EMS Medical Director provides education and promotes and participates in EMS System research.  He or she provides as a liaison with the medical community and professional medical organizations.  They interact with local, regional, state, and national EMS authorities to ensure that standards, needs, and requirements are met and resource utilization serves to optimize efficient and effective medical care.   They also ensure there is a coordinated effort of all medical activities for disaster planning and response.

The EMS Medical Director promotes public information and education on prevention of illness and injury.  The EMS Medical Director maintains  knowledge for all levels of medical response (in the context of not only traditional EMS but also for first responders involving police, fire, hazmat, and others) through ongoing professional and personal education in order to provide coordinated medical advice for interagency activities and disaster response.

Experience and Education Requirements

The following are examples of knowledge, skills and abilities an EMS Medical Director should possess:

• Thorough knowledge of state EMS laws
• Thorough knowledge of system level data analysis
• Considerable knowledge of EMS dispatch and communications
• Considerable knowledge of mass casualty and disaster plans
• Considerable knowledge of group dynamics relating to advisory committee structures
• Significant knowledge of out-of-hospital care research
• Significant knowledge of public health education, injury prevention, and health promotion
• Considerable communication and interpersonal skills
• Considerable technical writing skills in grant preparation, protocol and policy development and regulatory language
• Ability to analyze and comprehend data
• Ability to deal tactfully with the media, elected officials and others, on sensitive matters
• Ability to make public presentations

Experience and Education Requirements

It is essential the EMS Medical Director possess significant experience and familiarity with the design and operation of the statewide EMS system (including any existing subset systems of trauma, peds, burn, cardiac, stroke, and other specialized components of the EMS system).  They should also have significant experience, leadership, and success in working with state EMS committees and experience with the EMS quality improvement / performance improvement process.  It is desirable that the EMS Medical Director be board certification in emergency medicine (ABEM or ABOEM), have continued involvement with the ED management of acutely ill and injured patients and have recent or current involvement in local, state and national EMS organizations.

Liability Insurance Information

• Emergency Medical Director Supplemental Application
• Application for EMS Medical Directors Professional Liability
• Sample EMS MD Agreement    pdf    doc
• Sample Medical Director Contract   pdf 

Protocols

The following medical protocols have been developed for use by emergency medical providers operating within the State of Tennessee as a GUIDELINE for preparation of pre-hospital treatment protocols and related administrative policies. Protocols are treatment guidelines that should only be carried out with direct medical control from a physician unless a "standing order" policy has been established for a particular protocol. Please keep in mind that the treatment sequences illustrated presume that the patient remains symptomatic or in a deteriorating state and covers a broad range of conditions and situations and may require changes in the plan of actions. At the time of development of the protocols, great care was taken to make certain that doses of medication and schedules of treatment were compatible with generally accepted standard of care. Anyone planning to use any or all of these protocols should review and study them carefully, satisfying themselves that they are accurate and appropriate at the time they are instituted.

• Adrenal Insufficiency Protocol 
• Adrenal Insufficiency Protocol 
• Hazardous Materials Protocol Guidelines  
• TN EMS Protocol Guidelines  Sept 2025