(1) In order to be certified by the board pursuant to § 68-140-304(10), the training program offered by the paramedic training center must follow the United States department of transportation paramedic national standard curriculum. In addition, only paid career members of a fire department that operates its own fire training academy to provide training for career paramedics employed by the fire department are eligible to enter and graduate from the paramedic training program. Upon written intergovernmental agreement, paid career members of any fire department that operates within the county are also eligible to enter and graduate from the paramedic training program.
(2) Pursuant to § 68-140-304(10), any fire department that operates its own fire training academy shall have the option of permitting a fire fighter recruit to have between three (3) and five (5) years to complete the training for certification as a paramedic.