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Aug. 24--Changes in the way emergency medical service personnel are certified will make it harder and more expensive to train emergency responders and likely will deter people from entering the profession, metro Detroit fire chiefs say.

The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in 2013 no longer will certify paramedics who graduate from unaccredited training programs. It's a move the Columbus, Ohio-based registry -- which certifies emergency medical service personnel nationwide -- says will improve the quality of emergency responders across the country.

Only two of the 42 EMS training programs in Michigan have the required accreditation -- those operated by Lansing Community College and Huron Valley Ambulance in Ann Arbor.

Last month, Bloomfield Township became one of the first municipalities in the state to pass a resolution expressing concern over the proposed changes. Also in July, the Southeast Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs drafted a proposed resolution in opposition to the new education standards.

Fire chiefs fear that unaccredited programs -- most based at fire stations -- will close when the new rules take effect, leaving only longer and more expensive training programs. There are 29,000 emergency medical service personnel in the state. All must receive additional training every few years.

"There already is a shortage of EMS responders in Michigan," said Jon Hockman of Livonia, vice president of the Michigan Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. "Yet we're getting this rammed down our throats. ... These new standards would create an even larger shortage. That means higher risk to the public."

Michigan emergency medical service personnel must pass the same certification examinations as those attending programs accredited by the Texas-based Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions.

But proponents say paramedic accreditation is needed to create uniform minimum training requirements from state to state. They argue EMS training programs will adjust to the new standards and doubt the number of people training as emergency responders will drop significantly.

Furthermore, proponents of the changes point out that all other allied health professionals, such as doctors and nurses, have to go through accredited training programs to get certified.

"All we're trying to do is produce credible paramedics across the nation," said Bill Brown, executive director of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, which proposed the changes based on recommendations in several federal reports. "We're saying, 'You've got to do this for the betterment of the people in your state.'

"Am I going to say that we're going to save millions of lives because we're going to go through this more rigorous training? No. But this is a part of getting there. It creates a culture of excellence."

Most states already use the organization's test to certify paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

Firehouse-based programs in Michigan are inspected and monitored by state EMS officials, but many would not meet national accreditation standards, fire officials say.

For example, many of the unaccredited programs do not have extensive libraries or offer career counseling -- which are required for accreditation. Adding those features and going through the accreditation process could cost up to $30,000, fire officials say. The process includes periodic program inspections by out-of-state emergency response professionals.

"We would need a library, counseling, on-site inspections," said Ron Spears, director of a popular EMS training program based at the Waterford Fire Department.

"Our school would cease to operate. We have a very successful pass rate on the certification exam. Many fire departments send their people to us. It would just be a shame."

Contact EMILIA ASKARI at 248-351-3298 or easkari@freepress.com.