EMS Commission
Hours
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
except state-observed holidays
Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security
Indiana Government Center-South, Room E208
302 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2739
Call us: 317-232-2222
Email us: emscertifications@dhs.in.gov
Upcoming Commission Meeting
About the EMS Commission
The Indiana Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Commission was formed by the General Assembly in 1974. As stated in its enabling legislation, the commission is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of an effective system of emergency medical services. This includes the necessary equipment, personnel and facilities to ensure that all emergency patients receive prompt and adequate medical care throughout the range of emergency conditions encountered.
The commission works to meet this mandate through the development of administrative codes and rules regulating Indiana's emergency medical services system as well as the provision of consultative services; promotion of training for emergency medical personnel; education of the public in first aid techniques; and coordination of emergency communications resources. The EMS Commission is also responsible for the regulation, inspection and certification of services, facilities and personnel engaged in the provision of emergency medical services. The commission must promulgate necessary administrative codes (rules) in order to fairly, equally and consistently regulate Indiana’s prehospital emergency medical care system.
The EMS Commission is comprised of 14 individuals appointed by the governor. Title 16, Chapter 31 of the Indiana Code specifies the following categories be represented: a volunteer fire department that provides ambulance service; a full-time municipal fire or police department that provides ambulance service; a nonprofit provider of emergency ambulance service organized on a volunteer basis other than a volunteer fire department; a provider of private ambulance services; a state-certified paramedic; a certified emergency medical technician; a registered nurse who works in an emergency department; a licensed physician who has primary interest, training, and experience in emergency medical services; a chief executive officer of a hospital that provides emergency ambulance service; air medical representative and a member who is not affiliated with the provision of emergency medical services and who is tasked with representing the public at large.
Subcommittees
Resources
- Members
The Indiana Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Commission was formed by the General Assembly in 1974. As stated in its enabling legislation, the commission is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of an effective system of emergency medical services. Please utilize the following e-mail addresses to contact Indiana’s EMS Commission Representatives regarding any EMS topics affecting you or your community.
Member From City E-mail Address Andrew Bowman Emergency Nurses Indianapolis Joel Thacker Indiana Department of Homeland Security Indianapolis Dr. Sara Brown Trauma Care Fort Wayne Vacant
Emergency Physicians Vacant Vacant
Melanie "Jane" Cragin Hospital Ambulance Service Williamsport Terri Hamilton Volunteer EMS Knightstown Darin Hoggatt Paramedics Greenwood Dr. Thomas Lardaro Air Ambulance Indianapolis Myron Mackey Emergency Medical Technicians Bicknell Matthew McCullough Volunteer Fire Department Terre Haute John Ryan Public Representative Indianapolis G. Lee Turpen Private Ambulance Services Evansville Charles Valentine Municipal Fire Services Indianapolis John Zartman ALS Training Institution Program Indianapolis - Minutes
EMS Commission Minutes
All minutes in draft form are unofficial until adopted by the EMS Commission at its next meeting.
Technical Advisory Committee Minutes
The commission's Technical Advisory Committee was discontinued in 2019.
- Policies, Rules and Interpretations
Policies
Rules
By law, all requests for waiver of EMS rules are considered by IDHS initially subject to appeal to the EMS Commission for review. Waiver requests may be sent to dhscertifications@dhs.in.gov.
Pending Rules
- None at this time.
Final Rules
All final rules become part of the Indiana Administrative Code and are accessible from the IAC Title 836 webpage.
Non-Rule Policies, Interpretations
- EMS - Trauma Triage and Transport Destination Protocol
- Overview of three new non-rule policies (Feb. 2022)
The following are non-rule policies and policy interpretations by the EMS Commission.
- Acquisition and transmission of 12-lead as basic life support
- Certification renewal dishonesty
- Clarifying "in the ACS verification process"
- EMS continuing education
- Limitation on automatic transport ventilators as basic life support
- Managing IV infusion pumps or ventilators during transport
- Medication substitution
- Organization late application submissions
- Requirement of EMT for ALS transport in unplanned surge capacity situations
- Reports
EMS Training Reports