The state Department of Health is reviewing regulations that could potentially expand the certification process for emergency medical technicians and paramedics amid a shortage for ambulance services in the state. 

At issue is a certification process that had temporarily expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include two examinations for emergency medical services, enabling more people to either take the traditional state test or a national exam. 

After the state of emergency was lifted in June, the national exam was no longer considered as part of the certification process. This has led to a backlog of people waiting to be certified and making worse a worker shortage for ambulance services statewide.

“As the State of Emergency was only intended to permit temporary suspensions and modifications of existing law, the Department is in the process of drafting regulatory amendments to further facilitate the EMS education and certification processes," the Department of Health said in a statement to Spectrum News 1. 

State lawmakers and EMS coordinators over the last week have pointed to a backlog of hundreds of people waiting to be certified to become EMTs and paramedics.