Emergency Medical Services Division                                                                    

Mission Statement
The mission of Oklahoma EMS is to protect and promote health in Oklahoma by fostering continued improvement for a comprehensive, coordinated arrangement of health and public safety resources that serve to provide timely and lifesaving care.

Summary
The EMS division is created by statute in OS 63 1-2501 et seq., titled the Emergency Response Systems Development Act ( formerly the Emergency Medical Services Act.
The Act requires the health department to develop Rules for administering emergency response systems in the state. These are codified in the Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) in chapter 310.

The Act also charges the Commissioner of Health, through EMS division, with oversight for many aspects of EMS including;

• A comprehensive plan for EMS development
• Certification of training programs and approval of training courses,
• EMT testing, licensure and reciprocity,
• Collection of statewide EMS data
• Maintaining a standard run report form
• Emergency Medical Service licensure
• AidVan Service licensure
• First Response Agency certification
• Trauma Systems Development

The division also serves as staff to the Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Advisory Council. The council advises the Commissioner and the Board of Health on EMS policy.

In late 2005 Governor Brad Henry convened the EMS Readiness Task Force to review the major challenges to EMS in Oklahoma and recommend action. Governor's EMS Readiness Task Force Final Report (953k .pdf)

Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution empowers advalorem taxes to pay for ambulance services in specified districts. This form of taxation was approved as State question 522 and the resulting organizations commonly referred to as "522 Districts." The EMS division can assist with questions about establishing and operating such districts to ensure high quality EMS. 

Communicable Disease Exposure Process
If you believe you are exposed to a communicable disease in the performance of your duties as an EMT, you and your employer have certain rights and responsibilities, including reporting the exposure to the Oklahoma State Department of Health on the appropriate forms. You can get information and copies of the form here:
http://www.ok.gov/health/documents/Blue20Card.pdf

Contact Information
Emergency Medical Services Division
Location: 1000 N.E. Tenth, Room 1104, Okla. City, Ok 73117
Phone: 405/271-4027 E-Mail: Esystems@health.ok.gov: