Effective April 1, 2019, all Ohio EMS providers (EMR, EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic) are required to view the Rescue Task Force Awareness Training Module (RTF) as part of the continuing education (CE) necessary for Ohio EMS certificate renewal. Ohio’s fire service and law enforcement officers are also encouraged to take the course.

• The RTF awareness training module must be completed only once, either through an EMR or EMT initial course completed after September 1, 2019, or online through the Public Safety Training Campus during your first renewal period starting on or after April 1, 2019.
• You should maintain a copy of your certificate of completion after completing the RTF module. If your certificate is audited, you will need to provide proof that the RTF module was completed.

How do I sign up for the course?

The Rescue Task Force Awareness Training module may be completed (at no charge) through Public Safety Training Campus (PSTC). A certificate of completion will be provided at the end of the course. The catalog ID is WBT906:

1. Log in to the PSTC.
2. Go to the Course Catalog.
3. Fill out search criteria (e.g., WBT906), then click “Search.”
4. Locate the course you want, then click the “plus” icon (+).
5. When the “Enroll” dialog box appears, click “Yes.”

Non-Ohio Certified First Responders

Ohio EMS providers cannot use this offering in place of the mandatory requirement to complete WBT906 through the Public Safety Training Campus.

Training for non-Ohio certified first responders  (EMS, fire, and law enforcement)

Background

Effective April 1, 2019, all Ohio EMS providers (EMR, EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic) are required to complete the Rescue
Task Force Awareness Training Module (RTF) as part of the continuing education (CE) necessary for Ohio EMS certificate
renewal. This module shall be completed during each EMS provider’s first full recertification cycle starting on or after April 1, 2019. Providers will not be required to repeat the training module during each subsequent renewal period – only the first renewal period starting on or after April 1, 2019.

Upon completion of the training module, you will have the opportunity to print a certificate of course completion. You should keep a copy of the certificate in your files, as successful completion can be used to fulfill current continuing education requirements, as well as future Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) requirements.

Effective September 1, 2019 the Rescue Task Force Awareness Training Module was incorporated into EMR and EMT initial training. If a certificate holder completes an EMR or EMT course starting September 1, 2019 or later in which the RTF awareness module was included, no further action is required. If your EMR or EMT course was completed prior to
September 1, 2019, then you are required to complete the online module prior to your next renewal date.

To provide some background on this training, the standard fire/EMS response to active shooter incidents has been to stage in a secure location until law enforcement mitigates the threat and secures the area to create a safe scene for fire/EMS operations. Unfortunately, while waiting for a secure scene, those injured during the incident aren’t receiving care and are dying from their injuries. The RTF concept is designed to get lifesaving medical treatment to victims in “active shooter” events much sooner than traditional deployment methods. It involves placing EMS providers in forward positions, protected by law enforcement, to provide emergency medical intervention immediately while efforts to secure the scene continue.

With a goal to save lives, the RTF concept focuses on the needs and care of victims, not responders. Known as “warm zone integration,” the RTF consists of EMS and law enforcement personnel who work together to provide immediate basic medical care to victims – EMS members of the RTF work with law enforcement officers, in areas cleared by law enforcement personnel, to deliver immediate medical intervention for readily treatable injuries, such as severe bleeding and airway compromise. The team then stabilizes victims for evacuation to definitive care. The RTF differs from Tactical EMS, which usually focuses on medical care for the responders.

In an effort to encourage implementation of the rescue task force concept in Ohio, the State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services (EMFTS) established an ad hoc committee to pursue the development of awareness-level training on the concept. The committee, consisting of EMS, fire, and law enforcement personnel completed development of
the training in late 2017. The program was converted to a narrated online training module by the Ohio Department of Public Safety in the first quarter of 2018. The goal of the training module is to provide EMS, fire, and law enforcement personnel with an awareness of the RTF concept, and to better understand the need for, and role of an RTF. It is the foundational training that will prepare for additional operational level training required for RTF participation, should local EMS, fire, and law enforcement leaders decide to implement the rescue task force concept in their community.