If you are interested in becoming a Vermont EMS practitioner, we recommend that you contact the EMS agencies near you to find out how to become a member or employee of their organization. You must have an affiliation with an EMS agency to become a licensed EMS provider.
All of Vermont’s initial and continuing education follows the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s EMS Education Standards. Once you complete a Vermont EMS course and pass the exam, you will earn a National Registry of EMTs certification, which can help you gain reciprocal licensure in many states.
Upon earning a Vermont license or certification, EMS personnel are given free access to the Vector Solutions online learning management system. Vector's content is created locally and nationally to help you meet continuing education requirements, complete protocol updates, and more. Log into your account now to see what it has to offer.
The login portal provides assistance with passwords, but if you have other questions, email us at [email protected].
EMS Instructor Levels
The Vermont Department of Health issues three levels of EMS Instructor as described in the EMS Instructor Levels guide:
- EMS Skills Instructor
- EMS Instructor/Coordinator
- EMS Senior Instructor
EMS Course Approval
All courses leading to National Registry of EMTs certification and state licensure must be led by a licensed Instructor/Coordinator and approved by the Vermont Department of Health. You can find more information about EMS course requirements in the EMS Licensure Course Approval Process document.
EMS Course Approval Process:
- Log into your account on the Vermont EMS LIGHTS Public Portal
- Go to Training > Request in the left-hand navigation menu
- Click on the Apply for Course Approval button
AEMT Testing and Licensing Information: This document guides AEMT instructors on course completion requirements, preparing students for National AEMT testing and applying for Vermont AEMT licensure.
EMS Student Manual: This manual provides important information to students in initial EMS courses about course logistics and prepares them for examinations and licensure.
Instructor/Coordinator Administrative Guide: This handbook describes the administrative aspects of being a Vermont EMS Instructor/Coordinator, including course and exam site approval, registering students for exams and renewing an I/C license.
Instructor/Coordinator Licensing
Vermont licensed EMS personnel may become eligible for an EMS Instructor license by following the requirements in the EMS Instructor Levels guide.
EMS Instructor License Application Process:
- Log into your account on the Vermont EMS LIGHTS Public Portal
- Go to Applications in the left-hand navigation menu and select the Initial License application for the desired instructor level.
EMS Instructor License Renewal
Vermont Instructors renew their license by maintaining their EMS practitioner license and completing Instructor continuing education. Instructor CE can consist of any topics that relate to classroom management, education theory or instructing adult students.
Instructor License Renewal Application Process (to be done AFTER submitting your EMS practitioner license renewal application):
- Log into your account on the Vermont EMS LIGHTS Public Portal
- Go to Applications in the left-hand navigation menu and select the License Renewal application for the desired instructor level.
No prior training, certification or licensure is required to take an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course. To qualify for an Advanced EMT or Paramedic course, a person must have a current state EMT license or a National Registry of EMTs certification.
Find an EMS Course
EMS courses are held throughout the year across the state. To find out about courses happening near you, go to the Class Schedule. New courses are added to the schedule regularly. You may also reach out to your district’s training coordinator to find out if other courses will be offered in your area. To enroll in a course, contact the instructor directly.
Find an EMS Psychomotor Examination
Vermont EMS uses the National Registry of EMTs psychomotor and cognitive exams as the basis for EMS licensure. To enroll in an exam site, candidates must log into the LIGHTS Public Portal and submit a Practical Exam Registration Application.
Registration for an AEMT or Paramedic exam site requires a Practical Authorization to Test (PATT) number, which is assigned after completing an online application on the National Registry of EMTs website.
If you are interested in becoming a Vermont EMS practitioner, we recommend that you contact the EMS agencies near you to find out how to become a member or employee of their organization. Agency affiliation isn’t required to take an EMS course.
All of Vermont’s initial and continuing education follows the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s EMS Education Standards. Once you complete a Vermont EMS course and pass the exam, you will earn a National Registry of EMTs certification, which can help you gain reciprocal licensure in many states.
Potential funding sources for EMS education include:
1. Employer funding
The Department of Labor has an apprenticeship program. This program partners with employers to help fund the cost of education. In some cases, it also pays the employee hourly wages (up to a certain amount per week) to attend classes. The VT DOL has more information on their website, and they are great to work with.
2. Degree program funding
Credit bearing paramedic program participants may be eligible for federal grants, scholarships, and financial aid. Anyone interested should complete their FASFA as soon as possible to obtain the highest awards. See VTC degree program for information and links.
3. Vermont Grant Applications through VSAC
If you're a Vermont resident, you may be eligible to apply for 1 of these 3 need-based grants: see VSAC.org for more information on any of the programs listed.
- Vermont Incentive Grant—for Vermont residents enrolled or planning to enroll full-time (as defined by your school)
- Vermont Part-Time Grant—for Vermont residents enrolled or planning to enroll part-time (as defined by your school)
- Advancement Grant (previously the Vermont Non-Degree Grant)—for Vermont residents enrolled or planning to enroll in a non-degree course or training program that will enhance job skills to improve your ability to get a job or that gives you an introduction to college courses
4. Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) may help veterans pay for school or job training. If you’ve served on active duty after September 10, 2001, you may qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). See for eligibility Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
5. EMS service and EMS District
Services may offer tuition assistance to their affiliated volunteers and career staff for EMS education.
Continuing Education Requirements - EMR, EMT, AEMT, Paramedic
Vermont EMS practitioner license renewal requirements mirror those of the National Registry of EMTs. Most of Vermont’s EMS practitioners hold a National Registry of EMTs certification and meet Vermont’s continuing education requirements by renewing that certification. Current practitioners who never held NREMT certification must also meet the NREMT renewal requirements and document their training on their Vermont license renewal application.
Continuing Education Requirements - vermont emergency first responder
To renew a VEFR certification, a person must maintain their American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid CPR/AED certification (or equivalent) and complete continuing education on the following topics:
- Workforce Safety and Wellness - 2 hours
- EMS System Communications - 1 hour
- Medical/Legal and Ethics - 1 hour
NREMT - National Continued Competency Program
Vermont has used the NREMT’s National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) as its model for continuing education since July 2015. The foundation of this program is continuous quality improvement, lifelong learning and individual self-assessment.
The NCCP started in 2010 when a multi-disciplinary task force consisting of representatives from major regulatory, medical oversight and operational components of EMS met to consider revisions to the NREMT recertification process. The result is a program that evolves over time and allows states, the local EMS community and individual EMS practitioners to choose topics that are most relevant to their educational needs.
There are three components of the National Continued Competency Program. Half of the hours are determined by the NREMT, a quarter are chosen at the State and Local levels and the remaining quarter are chosen by each EMS practitioner based on their interests and self-assessment of educational needs.
The National Registry of EMTs has produced educational guides for each level:
- NREMT Educational Guide - EMR
- NREMT Educational Guide – EMT
- NREMT Educational Guide - AEMT
- NREMT Educational Guide – Paramedic
National Requirements of the National Continued Competency Program
The national requirement topics of the National Continued Competency Program are selected by the National Registry of EMTs based on input from EMS researchers, physicians and practitioner stakeholders and are updated every five years. Topics are chosen from evidence-based medicine and scientific position papers aimed at improving patient care, particularly tasks with low frequency but high criticality.
State/Local Requirements of the National Continued Competency Program
A portion of Vermont’s state and local requirement topics are determined by the EMS office based on state-specific training needs. The remaining hours are determined at the district and/or agency level.
Individual Requirements of the National Continued Competency Program
The remaining portion of each EMS practitioner’s continuing education is determined by the practitioner based on their own areas of interest or possible weakness. Any training that relates to the clinical or operational functions of an EMS practitioner at their license level qualifies for continuing education in this section.
EMS Protocol Education
The Statewide EMS Protocols represent the work of all 13 District Medical Advisors, numerous stakeholder groups and a multitude of EMS practitioners, agencies and districts across the state. Wherever possible, protocol updates have been guided by the most recent and best evidence-based EMS literature.
2020 Vermont Statewide EMS Protocols
Ready, Check, Inject
The Ready, Check, Inject program provides a simple, safe and cost-effective alternative to epinephrine auto-injectors and allows trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to withdraw epinephrine from a vial and inject the medication intramuscularly. Ready, Check, Inject is not intended to take the place of autoinjectors; epinephrine auto-injectors are still considered the preferred method of medication administration in anaphylaxis.
Equipment Requirements
To administer intramuscular epinephrine at the EMT level, an agency must stock:
- 1 mL vials of 1 mg/1 mL (1:1000) concentration epinephrine
- Larger volume vials and syringes are not allowed at the EMT level
- 1 mL syringes with an accompanying 1-inch intramuscular safety needle
- Ready Check Inject Safety Card
- Serves as a cross-check reference to prevent medication error
- Contents are detailed in the Ready Check Inject training document
- To obtain cards, email the EMS Office with your required amount
NOTE: Consider separating this specific equipment from other ALS supplies to prevent confusion. Please see the equipment checklist for the complete list of required items.
Training and Credentialing
EMS agencies must credential their EMT level providers to use the new protocol using a two-step process. Providers will watch a narrated Power Point on CentreLearn (individually or as a class) and then complete an agency-led practical training session overseen by the agency’s or district’s training coordinator. Competency must be confirmed by a licensed practitioner at the AEMT or Paramedic level using the skill sheet included in the training program. Documentation of training and competency verification should be kept on file by the agency.
Rapid Sequence Intubation
Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) is an advanced airway skill only available to Paramedics with additional training, medical direction oversight and participation in an educational and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program approved by the Department of Health.
For more information about RSI, contact EMS Medical Director Dr. Dan Wolfson.
Schedule a resuscitation Academy
To arrange an Adult Resuscitation Academy at your agency, contact Chris McCarthy: [email protected]
To arrange a Pediatric Resuscitation Academy at your agency, contact Merrill Pine: [email protected]
vermont cardiac arrest report 2020
On June 24, 2021, State Medical Director Dr. Dan Wolfson presented a report reviewing the results from the National and Vermont Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES). He also covered Hot Topics in Cardiac Resuscitation (including the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac arrest), and take home points to help you improve your care of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patient. View the presentation.