Emergency Medical Services Board

Establishes standards and regulates the licensing, permitting, and operation of emergency medical and ambulance services in Tennessee.

About Tennessee's EMS Board

Modern EMS in Tennessee was created by state legislation in 1972. This law authorized the training of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and mandated the creation of standards for ambulances and medical equipment. In 1973 legislation mandated the training and certification of Paramedics. In 1977 legislation authorized the creation and management of a statewide system for EMS radio communications. This completed the legal authorization for the initial development of Tennessee’s EMS system. In 1983 the state EMS Board was created and the first EMS Board in the U.S. met in June of that year.

Today the State EMS office, operating under the rules of the EMS Board, oversees a statewide EMS system comprised of thousands of Paramedics and EMTs who work for 210 ambulance services that operate 1,300 ambulances that make more than 1,000,000 patient transports annually. The Office is comprised of a total of 19 employees. The central office has 11 employees- the Director, Assistant Director, Trauma Manager, Data Manager, Radio Systems Analyst, an EMS consultant-at-large and 5 administrative support staff. We have 8 Regional Consultants that work throughout the state in the counties within their respective regions.

The Emergency Medical Services Board consists of 13 board members who are appointed by the Governor that include:

  • Two physicians,
  • One registered nurse,
  • One hospital administrator,
  • One member licensed as an EMT, EMT-P, registered nurse, or physician (who is affiliated with a volunteer ambulance service),
  • Two operators of ambulance services (licensed as an EMT or EMT-P),
  • One rescue squad member (licensed as an EMT or EMT-P),
  • One professional firefighter (licensed as an EMT-Paramedic),
  • One member affiliated with emergency management (licensed as an EMT or EMT-P),
  • Two officials of local governments that operate ambulance services, and
  • One paramedic instructor from an accredited paramedic program in Tennessee.

Four members are appointed from each of the state's three grand divisions, as well as one at-large member. Members are appointed for a term of four years, with the Board chair elected from among the members of the board. A quorum is seven members.

The Board is empowered to approve schools and prescribe courses for EMS personnel, promulgate regulations governing licenses and permits, and establish standards for the activities and operation of emergency medical and ambulance services. The Board conducts hearings to review and decide disciplinary matters presented by the Department and may suspend, revoke or otherwise discipline any authorization required for emergency medical personnel and ambulance services.

Licensure Scam Alert

The Department of Health has been made aware that some licensees of a few different health licensure boards have received fraudulent communications from individuals claiming to be from those licensee’s licensing boards. The communications, often by phone, may threaten arrest or license suspension, demand personal information, or require payment of fines.  Some of them have been accompanied by fraudulent letters claiming to suspend the license. Please note: 

  • Phone calls may “spoof” or appear to be from the boards’ number;
  • If you need to verify the identity of a TN board investigator, call 615-741-2584 or email tn.health@tn.gov
  • The health-related board investigators will never demand that you provide personally identifying information, such as a social security number, date of birth, or bank or credit card account numbers over the phone;
  • These types of licensing scams are a problem nationwide.

 If you believe you are the recipient of a fraudulent communication claiming to be from your licensing board:

  • If you believe you are the recipient of a fraudulent communication claiming to be from your licensing board:
  • Report the communication to the Internet Crime Complaint Center Internet Crime Complaint Center at using the code "TDHHPBSCAM2026".  This will allow law enforcement to link these scams for improved investigation.
  • Complainants can alternatively call the Fusion Center Tipline (800TBIFIND) or submit a tip online at TBI but the IC3 is preferred.

·         Notify the Department of Health at 615-741-2584 or email tn.health@tn.gov

  • The Federal Trade Commission also accepts reports about “Imposter Scams” online or at 1-877-382-4357.

Contact

The central office contact information is:

Office of EMS
665 Mainstream Drive
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615-741-2584
Toll Free: 1-800-778-4505
Fax: 615-741-4217
Email: tn.health@tn.gov

Meetings, Members, & Minutes

Meeting Schedule

Click for the EMS Board Calendar of Events

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

BOARD MEMBER POSITION REPRESENTATION TERM EXPIRES
Jared McKinney, M.D. Board Member Physician 6/30/24
Jeanie D. Diden, R.N. Board Member Air Medical Registered Nurse 6/30/24
Glenda “Joyce” Noles Board Member Administrator or Hospital based Ambulance Service 6/30/24
Greg Miller Co-Chairperson Paramedic Director of a Private Ambulance Service in TN 6/30/24
Steve Hamby Chairperson Paramedic Director of a Government based Ambulance Service in TN 6/30/25
Robert “Chris” Wheat Board Member Medical First Responder or Transport 6/30/25
Jeffery Bagwell Board Member Medical First Response Employed by a Fire Service 6/30/25
Jason Tunstall Board Member Medical First Response or Transport 6/30/26
William “Drew” Hooker Board Member Ambulance Service Official of a County 6/30/26
Tim Bell Board Member Rescue Squad 6/30/26
David Blevins Board Member Program Director EMT/Paramedic 6/30/27
Stacy Prater Board Member Program Director 6/30/27
Shannon Morphis Board Member Paramedic/Community Paramedicine 6/30/27

Meeting Minutes

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.

 

Archives Coming Soon...

Educational Information

Application for Educational Institution Approval

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

Approved Curriculums

This Page Last Updated: March 30, 2026 at 2:41 PM