can be both an on-line and a standing order depending on the level of the provider. Since no set of protocols can cover every patient situation, many systems work with protocols as guidelines. Systems also have policies in place to handle medical direction when communication failures happen or in disaster situations. The NHTSA curriculum is the foundation Standard of Care for EMS providers in the US. Employment EMTs and paramedics are employed in varied settings, mainly the prehospital environment such as in EMS, fire, and police agencies. They can also be found in positions ranging from hospital and health care settings, to industrial and entertainment positions. The prehospital environment is loosely divided into non-emergency (e.g. patient transport) and emergency (9-1-1 calls) services, but many ambulance services and EMS agencies operate both non-emergency and emergency care. In many places across the United States, it is not uncommon for the primary employer of EMRs, EMTs, and paramedics to be a fire department, with the fire department providing the primary emergency medical system response including "first responder" fire apparatus, as well as ambulances. In many other locations, emergency medical services are provided by a separate, or "third-party", municipal government emergency agency (e.g. Boston EMS, Austin-Travis County EMS). In still other locations, emergency medical services are provided by volunteer agencies. College and university campuses may provide emergency medical responses on their own campus using students. In some states of the US, many EMS agencies are run by independent non-profit volunteer first aid squads that are their own corporations set up as separate entities from fire departments. In this environment, volunteers are hired to fill certain blocks of time to cover emergency calls. These volunteers have the same state certification as their paid counterparts. See also Combat medic List of EMS provider credentials References and notes External links National Highway Traffic Safety Agency, Office of Emergency Medical Services United States National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Emergency medical responders da:Ambulanceredder