Mississippi Department of Health – Office of Emergency Planning and Response (OEPR) has implemented requirements for training to assure proficiency in pre-hospital emergency care in the state to be equal to or exceed other states. EMS training is monitored by OEPR to ensure that rules and regulations are followed to promote the highest quality of training for the Emergency Medical Technician. Requirements for entry to emergency medical training and training sites are listed online or available at OEPR.

The Mississippi State Board of Health shall develop an Emergency Medical Technicians training program based upon the nationally approved United States Department of Transportation’s “Basic Training Program for Emergency Medical Technicians-Ambulance” prepared in compliance with recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences. The program will be periodically revised by the board to meet new and changing needs.

The Mississippi State Department of Health is authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to provide for the best and most effective emergency medical care, and to comply with national standards for advanced life support. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, advanced life support personnel may be authorized to provide advanced life support services as defined by rules and regulations promulgated by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this authority shall, as a minimum:

(a) Define and authorize appropriate functions and training programs for advanced life support trainees and personnel (i.e., EMT-I, EMT-P or others); and provide that all such training programs shall meet or exceed the performance requirements of the training programs for the Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic, developed for the United States Department of Transportation under Contract No. DOT-HS-5-01207 (April 1976).

(b) Specify minimum operational requirements which will assure medical control over all advanced life support services.

(c) Specify minimum testing and certification requirements and provide for continuing education and periodic re-certification for all advanced life support personnel.