New Colorado Law--EMTs and Paramedics

[n0ssb]

(DENVER) — A bill that will create good, high-paying jobs in the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) industry and reduce the number of emergency personnel vacancies throughout Colorado passed on an initial voice vote today.

House Bill 1275 is a product of the Joint Select Committee on Job Creation and Economic Growth, and aims to create new jobs. Due to current long wait times to process out-of-state candidates, many vacancies remain unfilled. The legislation allows the Department of Public Health and Environment to offer provisional certifications for up to 90 days to out-of-state paramedics. This will create more EMT jobs, while at the same time increasing EMT readiness in rural parts of the state.

“Not only will this bill create jobs throughout the state, it will also cut down response time for people in emergencies – we will save lives, fast,” said bill sponsor Rep. Dennis Apuan (D-Colorado Springs). “We need to get people to work and we need to make sure every single Coloradan is safe and protected.”

When there are openings in the EMS industry, they can be difficult to fill due to the long wait time to process out-of-state applications for a Colorado State Paramedic Certification, and many candidates change their minds. Offering a provisional certification to an out of state Paramedic who can show that they have current certification in another state and/or National Registry certification would allow Colorado EMS agencies to fill open positions that normally take months to finalize.

Under HB 1275, applicants must meet all Colorado statutory and regulatory requirements for EMT Certification. It is a cash funded certification program, where EMT applicants will pay a fee for the Provisional Certification.

Rep. Apuan continued, “Emergency Medical Services are essential to public safety along with police and fire services, as well as serving as a vital health care safety net for communities. It’s frankly unnecessary that these highly qualified emergency personnel cannot serve the people of Colorado because of needless bureaucratic delay. This legislation will help the first-responder system to run efficiently.”

-- Posted by Staff

This is the actual link for the Bill itself

http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2009...ile=1275_01.pdf

[VentMedic]

Excellent! It is good to know our 3 month medic mill wonders who have been convicted of a crime will have a job at least for 90 days. They just have to leave my state (Florida) before the licensing agency finds out about their crime. But, for states that have lax or nil state reporting (California) for crimes with convictions they will have no worries as their license will still be valid. Only that finger print thing might be a problem...but not for 90 days which is how long some results take to come back.

Edited March 26, 2009 by VentMedic

[Dustdevil]

I think their heart is in the right place, but their heads are up their arses. Vent's points aside, how the heck does this "create" any jobs? Medics are either needed or they aren't. This is business 101. Increasing supply does not increase demand.

And seriously, is there like a huge flow of medics looking to move to Colorado? I just don't see that this will rapidly change anything, and never to any significant level.

[VentMedic]

When there are openings in the EMS industry, they can be difficult to fill due to the long wait time to process out-of-state applications for a Colorado State Paramedic Certification, and many candidates change their minds.

The people that change they minds will probably not be the ones that would stay at the job very long anyway. What they need to do is sell the area to Paramedics who want a home for their families. Promoting a secure outlook for jobs, housing and education for their children may attract those that who plant roots and be solid employees. Those that can't wait the time it takes to process as application probably have few responsibilities and may be accustomed to job hopping to look for that greener grass. Those who want to seriously relocate will spend that application time researching the area. Some may just take that opportunity to try out a place if they just lost their job someplace else or while they are waiting for their license application to process in another state. The companies may end up spending more on turnover than expansion. For those that have carefully planned and who would be a good long term employees may lose out when there actually is a number of jobs and those have been filled by people who are spontaneous with no long term plans.

States like this with what other professions call "walk in licenses" are very popular for traveling health care professionals. Often some areas will put up a big bonus to get a slot filled even temporarily. If you are in between your "paradise" assignments, you can pick up one of these jobs with a nice bonus quickly. If it is a real sh** job, you will have comfort in knowing you will only be there for 6 - 13 weeks and have no ties to the place after that. It is expensive and the hospitals pay a small fortune for each of these employees.

Edited March 26, 2009 by VentMedic