Paramedic Competition
ENTRY FEE
You must have a team of two to compete; $250 per team ($300 after 3/1).
Entry fee includes two 3-day CFED conference registrations ($900 value + breakfast and lunch Tuesday-Thursday).
SCHEDULE
Preliminary Competition - Monday, May 18, 2026
Final Competition - Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Competition Results & Awards - TBD
THE HISTORY
In 1991 a group of dedicated EMS professionals held the 1st paramedic competition in Southern California at the Inland Counties Trauma Symposium. The competition will challenge current paramedics or students to test their skills and knowledge against professionals in the field of EMS. Any EMS agency currently providing pre-hospital care or educational institution is invited to enter one team.
A total of 12 teams will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. A standby list will be maintained for agencies who wish to have more than one team. These agencies will fill slots still open after May 1st based on the position on the standby list. Teams will consist of two individuals and may be comprised of personnel from multiple agencies/training programs combined into 1 team.
Teams will be expected to be present promptly at 10 am on Monday, May 18th, 2026, at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort. Check-in will be at the Conference Registration booth. Teams will be sequestered, given an orientation, briefed on rules/scoring, and allowed to inspect medical equipment. The doors will be locked at 10 am, and any team member not in the sequestering room by this time will not be allowed to compete. Teams will be randomly drawn from this room to participate in “hands-on” scenarios and are expected to answer pre-hospital-related questions.
EQUIPMENT
CFED will provide all equipment required for the paramedic competition and will be available for review during orientation. Any questions regarding use or operation will be answered before teams compete. CFED does not provide personal protective equipment (PPE); each team member must bring their own.
All teams and participants will be expected to adhere to the following guidelines:
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Teams are required to provide for their own safety and those around them.
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No drug cards, charts, calculators, or “cheat sheets” will be allowed except for those provided by the judges.
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No cell phones, PDA’s, pagers, radios, or computers will be allowed once in the sequestering room or during competition. These items should be secured before entering the room or while competing. There will be no storage facility, and CFED will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
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No drugs, alcohol, or weapons will be permitted in the sequestering room or during competition.
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For the CFED paramedic competition, PPE should include a minimum of gloves and eye protection. PPE should be worn at all times during the scenario. Respiratory protection IS NOT required or recommended, as it will interfere with communication and may affect the judge’s ability to score teams.
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Sharps must be disposed of appropriately and done so in a manner that does not expose a team member, the public, or the judges to danger.
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Teams are encouraged to clearly state and/or request when additional resources would be required (law enforcement, air ambulance, rescue teams, etc.)
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During patient assessment, examination elements will only be scored when verbalized to the judges (“what do I feel when I palpate the leg?”)
Every effort will be made to simulate injuries and illnesses. Specific clinical signs may be difficult to simulate, but the goal is to have every team experience the same circumstances. Patients and/or victims may be live, so procedures must be performed on manikins. Scoring will be based on actions taken and verbalization of individual steps in the exam process. Judges may ask questions at any time during or after the scenario. One judge will be clearly identified as the “Non-Scoring Judge”. Questions and answers will be provided individually by the Non-Scoring Judge.
