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EMT & Paramedic Training Programs
Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services is responsible for approving and regulating EMS training programs that are offered within the County. The California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) maintains a current list of California training programs and their approval status. Information on whether a training program is approved can be found by visiting the EMSA personnel training program website.
To obtain training program approval in Contra Costa County, you must create a user profile for the Contra Costa County EMS license management system. Once your profile is created you can select the appropriate application.
Public Safety First Aid Training Programs
Information on where to locate EMT training programs, and the status of EMT training programs can be found by visiting Training Programs (ca.gov). Information on action taken by Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency against EMT training program approvals in Contra Costa County can be obtained by contacting Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency at (925) 608-5454.
Los Medanos EMT Training Program Skills Examination
Oct. 22, 2024: In 2023, the Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency (“CCCEMSA”) received a complaint regarding the LMC EMT training program. The complaint alleged that the LMC training program was not compliant with the California EMT training program regulations set forth in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations. Specifically, it was alleged, that the EMT training program had not required periodic and final skills testing in each of the skills required by the regulations.(See 22 CCR §§ 100066, subds. (b)(3) & (4), 100076.)
Based upon this complaint, CCCEMSA initiated an investigation and audit of LMC’s EMT training program. LMC was unable to provide evidence that it had conducted periodic skills testing, or that the final skills testing was conducted for each of the required skills as required by the regulations. CCCEMSA validated the complaint and issued a notice of suspension of LMC’s EMT training program approval on November 13, 2023. Since November 2023, LMC has worked to come into compliance with the regulations. Effective August 8, 2024, LMC satisfied CCCEMSA that its EMT training program now meets the minimum requirements. Effective October 28, 2024, LMC’s EMT training program is in a probationary status.
The periodic and final skills testing was required to be conducted in the manner prescribed in the regulations before LMC issued EMT course completion certificates to its students. An EMT course completion certificate is a prerequisite for approval to take the National Registry of EMT’s (“NREMT”) written examination (the State exam) and obtain certification as a California EMT.
CCCEMSA determined that LMC did not ensure or document that approximately 247 former students had completed the periodic and/or final skills examinations for each of the required skills, and thus these students were not eligible for an EMT course completion certificate when it was issued. Accordingly, these students did not meet the minimum eligibility requirements to sit for the NREMT EMT examination, and thus have not fulfilled the requirement of completing an approved EMT training program to obtain certification as a California EMT.
To mitigate the impacts from LMC’s failure to conduct or document the required skills examinations, LMC is offering its former students, free of charge, a final skills exam so that the former students meet California requirements for EMT certification. In the coming weeks, LMC's former students will receive information from LMC on dates, times, locations and how to register for the final skills examinations. The process and requirements for completing the skills examination is described below.
The Process
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Preparatory At Home Self Help Training: LMC will offer you test prep services in the form of video lessons ahead of the final skills exam.
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Final Skills Examination Days: LMC will offer multiple final skills examination dates between October 2024 and March 2025. If you fail any skills, you will be given the opportunity to attend up to two (2) more Final Skills Examination Dates.
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In Person Skills Training Days: If you do not pass a skills station on a Final Skills Examination Day, you will be offered in person skills training during a skills refresher training day for each of the stations you do not pass. There will be multiple in person skills training days offered between October 2024 and March 2025.
Failure to pass any of the skills stations by the third and final attempt on a Final Skills Examination Day will require that you retake a EMT training course. You must complete the skills testing administered by LMC no later than March 31, 2025. Your failure to attend and successfully pass a skill testing session will result in administrative action against your EMT certificate. It may also result in action by the NREMT against your national EMT registration. Therefore, it is imperative that you timely register and complete the skills testing no later than March 31, 2025.
Skills Being Tested
Each of the skills listed in California Code of Regulations, title 22, sections 100063 and 100065, which include those skills identified in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National EMS Scope of Practice Model 2019, will be tested.
Exemptions
CCCEMSA recognizes that some of the former students have become certified EMTs and have continued with advanced training as a paramedic. Individuals who have completed a paramedic training program and obtained a California paramedic license are exempt from the requirement to participate in the skills testing. Former students who meet the requirements for exemption from skills testing must send a photograph of their paramedic course completion certificate and California paramedic license to emscerts@cchealth.org no later than March 31, 2025.
Surrender of EMT Certificate
Former LMC students who have obtained California EMT certification and who are no longer interested in maintaining their California EMT certificate may choose to surrender their EMT certificate in lieu of completing the skills examination by completing an EMT certificate surrender form. The surrender form and EMT wallet card must be received CCCEMSA via United States mail or personal delivery no later than March 31, 2025 (postmarks will not be accepted).
Contact Information
Former LMC students affected by the skills examination requirement should direct any questions regarding LMC’s EMT training program, preparatory at home self-help training, or the skills sessions to Anthony Blakeley, EMT Training Program Director, by email at ablakeley@losmedanos.edu or by telephone at (925) 473-6693.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE (LMC) FINAL SKILLS EXAM FOR YEARS 2019-2023
Q: DO I HAVE TO USE LMC TO HAVE MY SKILLS TESTED?
A: Yes. Because LMC issued your EMT course completion certificate, you must have your skills tested by LMC.
Q. DO I STILL NEED TO HAVE MY SKILLS TESTED IF I ATTENDED ANOTHER EMT TRAINING PROGRAM AFTER I ATTENDED LMC’s EMT COURSE?
A. No. Please send your EMT course completion certificate to emscerts@cchealth.org.
Q. WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T COMPLETE THE SKILLS TESTING BY MARCH 31, 2025?
A. If you do not complete the skills testing before March 31, 2025, administrative action may be taken against your EMT certificate and NREMT registration up to and including revocation.
Q. DID THE GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDER (N-25-20) RELATING TO COVID-19 CHANGE THE REQUIREMENT FOR FINAL SKILLS TESTING?
A. No. Executive Order N-25-20 (03/04/20-09/30/21) only applied to skills competency testing for EMT certificate renewal and suspended EMT skills exams for certification due to social distancing requirements. The Executive Order did not suspend intermittent and final skills examinations for EMT course completion.
Q. I USE THE EMT SKILLS COMPETENCY VERIFICATION FORM (SCV) TO VERIFY MY SKILLS?
A. No. The SCV is exclusively for EMT certificate renewal.
Q. HOW ARE THE SKILLS ON THE SKILLS COMPETENCY VERIFICATION FORM DIFFERENT FROM THE SKILLS TESTED BY LMC?
A. The LMC final skills exam is more comprehensive and includes more skills than the skills competency verification form. The LMC final skills exams includes all of the skills required to be tested by 22 CCR 100075, which is required before you were issued an EMT course completion certificate by LMC.
Q. DO I STILL NEED TO HAVE REQUIRED EMT SKILLS TESTED IF I AM ATTENDING PARAMEDIC SCHOOL?
A. Yes. However, if you have graduated from a paramedic training program and obtained a California paramedic license you are exempt from the skills training requirement. Send your paramedic course completion certificate and a copy of your California Paramedic License to emscerts@cchealth.org no later than March 31, 2025.
Q. WHO DO I CONTACT WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT LMC’S FAILURE TO CONDUCT SKILLS EXAMS?
A. Questions about the training program and the education you received should be directed to LMC’s EMT Training Program Director Anthony Blakeley by telephone at (925)473-6693 or email: ablakeley@losmedanos.edu. Do not contact the Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency for questions relating to completion of LMC's EMT course or why LMC did not test the required skills.
Q. DO I CONTACT LMC WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT MY CALIFORNIA EMT CERTIFICATE?
A. No. Questions about your California EMT certificate should be directed to the local emergency medicals services agency (LEMSA) that sent you the letter.
Q. I COMPLETED SKILLS TESTING IN MY EMT CLASS AT LMC, DOES THIS STILL APPLY TO ME?
A. Yes. LMC is unable to provide records demonstrating student participation and successful completion of intermittent skills testing from 2019 through 2023.
Q. IS MY CALIFORNIA EMT CERTIFICATE STILL VALID?
A. Yes. Certification action has not been taken against your EMT certificate. Your EMT certificate is still valid, and if you are employed as an EMT, you may continue to work as an EMT. If you do not complete the skills testing before March 31, 2025, action may be taken against your EMT certificate, up to and including revocation.
Q. DOES THIS AFFECT MY NREMT REGISTRATION?
A. NREMT is not affiliated with Contra Costa County Emergency Medical Services Agency or your California EMT certificate. Questions regarding your NREMT registration status and whether your failure to complete the skills examination should be directed to NREMT.
Q. I DO NOT HAVE A CALIFORNIA EMT CERTIFICATE. AM I STILL REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE LMC EMT SKILLS EXAM?
A. Yes. Because it has been determined that LMC did not ensure or document that you completed periodic and/or final skills examinations for each of the required skills, you were not eligible for an EMT course completion certificate when it was issued to you. Accordingly, you did not meet the minimum eligibility requirements to sit for the NREMT EMT examination, and thus have not fulfilled the requirement of completing an approved EMT training program to obtain certification as a California EMT.