Good bye 2016 and hello 2017!!! 2016 was an amazing year for Georgia Institute of EMS and 2017 has even more to offer. We are all excited to get rolling toward new horizons ahead. A major goal is to keep the blog up-to-date with valuable information throughout the year. It is our goal to keep you well informed of any new information related to EMS. Our first topic this year is relevant to a large population of EMT's, AEMT's, EMT-I's and Paramedics.

With the new year comes Recertification!!! Everyone loves their EMT Recertification requirements and fees. Well, maybe not everyone! However, it is a requirement and essential in order to maintain your EMS certification and / or licensure. A bit of advice, make sure you review your State Office of EMS requirements and the National Registry of EMT's requirements for recertification and / or licensure. Both agencies don't always match requirements so it is best to be informed so one can complete the required courses in order to keep one's status as an EMT or Paramedic.

So, how can you fulfill the requirements needed to keep your certifications? The first step is to take only authorized continuing eduction classes approved by an appropriate agency. Only approved classes can be used toward maintaining your licensure or certification. Georgia Institute of EMS submits all the required paperwork to the State of Georgia for approval and only presents Georgia approved continuing education classes that can be used toward maintaining licensure in Georgia and for recertification purposes with the National Registry of EMT's. For information on how to sign up for Recertification Classes, check our website at www.georgiaemt.com for a list of our upcoming refresher training.

So, what about EMT-I's? The bad news is that EMT-I's are not able to maintain their National Registry of EMT's Certification. You will have to either upgrade to the AEMT level or downgrade to the EMT level. The good news is that the State of Georgia is not requiring EMT-I's to upgrade or downgrade. EMT-I's in Georgia can maintain their licensure as an EMT-I, however they will not be Nationally Registered. EMT-I's in Georgia will be required to complete their continuing education requirements in order to maintain licensure.