Understanding the EMS Agency Affiliation Requirement Under the United States EMS Compact

When the United States EMS Compact was first enacted, it represented one of the most significant advancements in the history of our profession: a way to legally extend an EMS clinician’s ability to practice across state lines. Yet, even as the Compact continues to expand—Colorado was the first state to join the EMS Compact, and today there are twenty-five member states—one question remains among the most frequently asked by clinicians, administrators, and regulators alike: What does “EMS Agency Affiliation” really mean?

Leveraging the EMS Compact for Recruitment and Retention in Colorado EMS
By Donnie Woodyard, MAML, NRP
Executive Director, United States EMS Compact

Colorado made history in 2015 by becoming the first state to pass legislation enacting the Recognition of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact—more commonly known as the United States EMS Compact. In the decade since, 24 other states have followed suit, creating an unprecedented legal framework for multistate EMS clinician practice. Today, more than 400,000 EMS professionals have a Privilege to Practice in Colorado under the Compact.
The EMS Compact is a practical, underutilized asset that provides Colorado EMS clinicians and employers powerful new tools to address two of the most pressing challenges in our profession: recruitment and retention.