Minnesota ambulance providers take steps to avoid interrupted service during COVID-19 outbreak

The Minnesota EMS Regulatory Board has suspended certification requirements for ambulances as long as the governor’s state of emergency stays in place.

This allows citizens to step and help out if EMS crews are exposed to COVID-19 and are quarantined for 14 days.

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Mark Ebeling, the president of the Minnesota EMS Association, said the suspension of EMS certification rules will allow ambulance providers flexibility to keep their trucks running and providing emergency care.

"This legally allows non-certified people to assist," Ebeling said. "Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, we will still be able to give the care needed because we’ll have options."

There have been no reported cases of any ambulance crew, in Minnesota, being exposed to COVID-19.