Licensed emergency medical services (EMS) providers are the backbone of Maine’s EMS system. An EMS provider in Maine may work full-time for a municipal or private EMS service, be employed as a firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) with a local fire department or volunteer with one of the many other Maine-licensed ambulance services or non-transporting EMS services in the State. Regardless of volunteer or employment status, each EMS provider must meet State training, testing and licensing requirements in order to practice emergency medical care in Maine.
Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) are the Basic Life Support (BLS) entry levels for persons seeking to become licensed EMS provider in Maine. From the BLS levels, EMS providers may continue their training to become Intermediate Life Support (ILS) providers at the Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) level and Advanced Life Support (ALS) providers at the Paramedic level.
To become a Maine licensed EMS provider, a person must complete a course of training approved by the Maine Board of EMS - the State Board responsible for Maine’s EMS system. Maine EMS-approved courses meet or exceed the current National EMS Education Standards. Courses in Maine are conducted through State licensed Training Centers.
EMS students who successfully complete Maine EMS-approved course must also complete a practical skills exam and a cognitive exam in order to be eligible for licensure. Maine EMS uses the National Registry of EMT’s (NREMT) practical and cognitive exams at the EMR, EMT, AEMT and Paramedic levels.
Once a student completes a Maine EMS-approved course and State testing requirements, the next step is to apply for a license. The licensing process includes review of the person’s training and state testing as well as a criminal background check to ensure that the applicant has no convictions that would be grounds for license denial.
All Maine EMS providers provide care in accordance with the Maine EMS Pre Hospital Treatment Protocols. Maine is very fortunate to be one of only a few states in the country to have uniform, statewide protocols that set standards of practice for our EMS providers, regardless of your location throughout Maine.