HB 197 Extension Ending December 1, 2020

All EMS and fire personnel with certificates that expired on March 9 through Nov. 30, 2020, received an extension under HB 197 enacted in response to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s declared state of emergency related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. That extension will expire on Dec. 1, 2020. The extension period has been added to all impacted certificates and certificate holders who have met the requirements to renew may now go online to file their renewal application(s). Certificates that are not renewed prior to the end of the extension, midnight on Dec. 1, 2020, will expire.

The Ohio Division of EMS is urging all certificate holders who have completed all continuing education requirements to go online and renew their certification(s) as soon as possible. To ensure that we are able to assist you before your certificate(s) expire, please do not wait until the last day of your certification cycle to renew, especially if that date falls on a weekend or holiday. The Division of EMS Certification staff is available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except holidays. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us before your certificate expires at EMS-FireCertifications@dps.ohio.gov or 800-233-0785.

The following information addresses many of the common questions we have received from certificate holders regarding the extension and certification renewal:

Certification Renewal

• All requirements for renewal of your certificate must be completed prior to filing your renewal application.
• Do not wait until the last minute to renew. Your application must be submitted before midnight on Dec.1, 2020 or your certificate(s) will expire.  To regain an expired certification you will need to follow the requirements for reinstatement, which can be found here or complete a new course and meet all requirements for certification.
• If you have trouble logging into the renewal site, you will need to contact the Help Desk using the help feature on the login site or by calling 614-752-6487. The Division of EMS staff does not have access to your password.
• If you do not wish to renew your certificate(s), or have not completed the requirements to renew, DO NOT submit a renewal application.
• You will receive weekly email reminders of the deadline to renew. These are automated messages and cannot be stopped, even if you have notified us that you do not intend to renew.  If you do not intend to renew, please ignore the emails and they will stop after your extension period has ended.

Certification Cycles

• Your certification expiration date did not change; the HB 197 extension only provided a grace period for completion of the required continuing education and for filing a renewal application.
• Your renewed certification cycle will expire on your birthday, three years after your current certification expiration date, and will be considered a full three-year certification period for determining continuing education requirements for your next renewal. Please plan accordingly to ensure you can meet the renewal requirements prior to the expiration date of your certificate(s).

Continuing Education Requirements

• The extension provided by HB 197 did not change the continuing education requirements for the cycle you are renewing.
• Continuing education completed during an extension cannot be used for more than one certification cycle. If you completed continuing education during the extension period to meet the renewal requirements for your expired certificate, you cannot use that continuing education again in your next renewal period.
• You are required to maintain documentation of your continuing education for the current and prior cycles. If requested, you are required to submit your documentation to show all requirements for renewal were met in each certification cycle.  Renewal requirements for all EMS and fire certificates can be found on the EMS web site.
• All EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics are required to complete Ohio-specific trauma triage training prior to certification expiration. One way to meet this requirement is by completing the Ohio Trauma Triage course available on the Public Safety Training Campus.