National Credentialing System

By Leslee Stein-Spencer

The National Integration Center (NIC) Incident Management Systems Division is developing a national credentialing system that will help to quickly verify and accurately identify qualifications of emergency personnel who respond to an incident.  There are currently 120 published Resource Typing Definitions of which EMS is one.  This initiative is required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 5 (HSPD-5) which identifies the need to develop a national resource-typing and credentialing system to facilitate the immediate identification and dispatch of appropriate qualified emergency personnel to major incidents that require significant mutual aid.

The purpose of the National Emergency Responder Credentialing System is to document minimum qualifications, certifications, training and education requirements that define the standards required for specific emergency response functional positions.  It is intended to assist in identifying which responders should be allowed to enter an incident scene immediately following a disaster or terrorist attack.  It is designed to help prohibit unauthorized personnel from entering a scene who may not be qualified to assist.  The credentialing effort is also designed to define baseline criteria that State, local and private organizations can incorporate into emergency responder training curricula, certification and experience requirements.

There are currently 19 job titles developed by the EMS Working Group.  These job titles were based on the most commonly requested EMS personnel in an interstate, mutual aid-based response.  The titles include: Air Medical Transport Manager, Air Medical Transport Mechanic, Air Medical transport Medical Director, Air Medical Transport Paramedic, Air Medical Transport Pilot, Air Medical Transport Registered Nurse, Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Emergency Vehicle Operator, Emergency Vehicle Operator-Heavy, EMS Physician, Medical Branch Director, Medical Group Supervisor, Medical Supply Coordinator, Paramedic, Transportation Group Supervisor, Transportation Unit Leader, Treatment Unit Leader and Triage Unit Leader.

The EMS Working Group looked at relevant education, training, experience, physical/medical fitness, certification and licensing criteria to define the baseline criteria critical for each job title listed.  The baseline criteria listed is the minimum requirements needed to participate in the NIMS Integration Center’s National Emergency Responder Credentialing System.  The EMS Working group then came up with additional recommended criteria for EMS personnel but these criteria are not required.  The list of requisite and recommended criteria can be found at: www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/mutual_aid.shtm.

While the system outlines the identity and qualifications of emergency responders, it is important to remember that this system does not provide automatic access to an incident site.

The Nationwide credentialing system is still evolving and actual implementation procedures are still being discussed.  Currently, it is up to each state to identify their credentialing process and implementation procedures.

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