Seward Sponsors Legislation to Extend EMT Re-Certification Period

State Senator James Seward announced Thursday legislation he is sponsoring that will extend the emergency medical technician five-year re-certification demonstration program.

"We cannot afford to see a continued decline in the number of EMTs," Seward said. "It's important to our squads and it's important to the protection to our communities. One of the things that drives an EMT out of the ranks of our emergency squad members is the very rigorous re-certification process in a relatively short period of time that they need to complete."

Senator Seward sponsored legislation creating the demonstration program in 2001. The law extended the period for re-certification for emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians from three years to five years.

It was subsequently extended in 2008 and is set to expire on July 1. If approved, the bill would extend the demonstration program until July 1, 2018.

The program is limited to EMTs who practice in the following counties: Delaware, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Nassau, Otsego, Schoharie or Suffolk.