Emergency Medical Services
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
Fax us: 317-233-0497
Visit us: Schedule an appointment online before you visit to conduct business with IDHS. No walk-ins will be accepted.
All regional IDHS staff: Map
About Emergency Medical Services (EMS)


Emergency Medical Services, more commonly known as EMS, is a system that provides emergency medical care to Hoosiers more than 2,000 times per day. Once it is activated by an incident that causes serious illness or injury, the focus of EMS is emergency medical care of the patient. EMS is most easily recognized when emergency vehicles or helicopters are seen responding to incidents, but EMS is much more than a ride to the hospital. It is a system of coordinated response and emergency medical care, involving multiple people and agencies. The Indiana EMS system is ready every day for every kind of emergency. With more than 800 provider agencies, operating more than 2,000 emergency ambulances, by more than 24,000 emergency medical personnel, EMS is the frontline of our health care system safety net and stands proudly at the intersection of health care, public health and public safety.
EMS personnel earn certifications at different levels: emergency medical responder (EMR), emergency medical technician (EMT), advanced EMT (AEMT) and paramedic. These certifications prepare and authorize them to perform specific types of medical care, which are listed in the EMS scope of practice.
State legislation in recent years has paved the way for an innovative patient-centered model of care called Mobile Integrated Health (MIH), also known as community paramedicine. Learn more about MIH in Indiana as the field of EMS continues to change.
EMS District Managers
EMS district managers are assigned to IDHS districts and are resources and liaisons for EMS information for individuals and organizations. They address questions about EMS operations and rules, the ImageTrend data system and complaints and investigations. District managers handle provider organization certifications and serve as points of contact on questions for individual certifications.
News/Updates
Online Training Available
- Ambulance CSR Discussion with Board of Pharmacy
- Quick overview and then question-answering session with the staff for the Board of Pharmacy regarding the new ambulance CSR.
- PI Workgroup (Feb. 4, 2022)
- This meeting had updates for primary instructors and included both EMS Commission changes to EMT curriculum and upcoming new IDHS EMS webforms.
- CSR Ambulance Rule Overview
- Covers the new controlled substances registration process for EMS, along with best practices.
Find these courses on the Acadis Portal.
Online Training Available
- Ambulance CSR Discussion with Board of Pharmacy
- Quick overview and then question-answering session with the staff for the Board of Pharmacy regarding the new ambulance CSR.
- PI Workgroup (Feb. 4, 2022)
- This meeting had updates for primary instructors and included both EMS Commission changes to EMT curriculum and upcoming new IDHS EMS webforms.
- CSR Ambulance Rule Overview
- Covers the new controlled substances registration process for EMS, along with best practices.
Find these courses on the Acadis Portal.
Recent News

Audits Process Updated
EMS audits randomly occur upon renewal of EMS certifications and licensures. Starting in April, IDHS is implementing a more automated system for better tracking and efficiency in processing the audits. This includes auto-generated emails that provide a link for individuals to use to submit required information for the audit. Learn more about the changes
IDHS EMS Section Annual Report Released
The EMS Section has released its 2021 annual report detailing achievements in Mobile Integrated Health, activities with the EMS Commission, various certifications statistics and more.
Hospital Diversion Guidance
As hospital capacity has diminished and ambulance providers are experiencing challenges with diversion and off-loading delays, the EMS Section has worked with the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to come up with guidance for EMS providers. The guidance below includes specific guidance for EMS on how diversions and off-load delays can be handled by EMS and also how diversion status can be checked via an EMS organization's EMResource account.
Recent Updates
The Acadis Portal is the hub for online EMS training and certifications.
Find a forgotten Public Safety ID number or verify if one has been assigned yet.
Connect to news and resources about the growing field of community paramedicine in Indiana.
Services
- Individuals
- Organizations
- Resources and Data
- EMS Complaint Form
- File an EMS-related complaint, problem or issue online.
- News/Updates Archive
- EMS Controlled Substances Registration (CSR) Changes (8/25/21)
- Board of Pharmacy Final Rule (9/14/21)
- Overview of the CSR/DEA requirements and process
- Ambulance CSR frequently asked questions (9/29/21, updated 11/18/21)
- EMS Controlled Substances Registration (CSR) Changes (8/25/21)
EMS Commission
