How to Read a NYC REMAC Protocol Citation (and Why You Should Check It)

A NYC REMAC protocol citation tells you which part of the book an answer comes from, which section, and which printed page. "Protocols p. 26" means printed page 26 of the Prehospital Treatment Protocols part of the 2026 book, not page 26 of the PDF, and not page 26 of the General Operating Procedures. Once you know how the book is numbered, every citation takes you straight to the rule behind the answer. Checking that rule is one of the fastest ways to learn the NYC REMAC protocols.

This guide explains how the 2026 protocol book is organized, how to read a citation, how to verify an answer yourself, and how RemacReady's references and "Open in protocol" links work.

How the 2026 protocol book is organized

The 2026 NYC REMAC Prehospital Treatment Protocols (version 2026-01, effective August 1, 2026) come as one document, but it is really three books bound together. The key thing to know is that printed page numbers restart at 1 in each part.

Each part also has its own cover page and a table of contents numbered with roman numerals (i, ii). The footer on each page tells you where you are: GOP pages say "Prehospital Treatment Protocols | General Operating Procedures," appendix pages say "Prehospital Treatment Protocols | Appendix," and every page carries the version, 2026-01.

Why that matters

Because numbering restarts, "page 26" exists three times in the 2026 book:

• GOP p. 26 is in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Procedure.
• Protocols p. 26 is Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) (Adult).
• Appendix p. 26 falls inside Appendix L, Modified START Triage.

A bare page number isn't enough. You always need to know which part it belongs to.

PDF pages vs. printed pages

If you open the protocol PDF in a regular viewer, the page counter at the top counts every page from the front cover. That number won't match the printed page. In the 2026 book, for example, printed Protocols p. 26 is around PDF page 59, because the covers, contents pages and all 26 GOP pages come first. When you look something up, go by the printed number in the footer, not the viewer's page counter.

How to read a citation

The full reference line

Every RemacReady explanation ends with a reference line like this:

NYC REMAC Prehospital Treatment Protocols (2026-01). Asthma / COPD / Wheezing (Adult and Pediatric), p. 38.

It has three parts:

1. Source and edition: NYC REMAC Prehospital Treatment Protocols, version 2026-01.
2. Section: the protocol or GOP section the question was written from, here Asthma / COPD / Wheezing (Adult and Pediatric).
3. Page: the printed page, here p. 38. A range like "pp. 38–39" means the section runs across both pages.

Telling which part a page belongs to

The section name tells you which part to open:

• A section that starts with General Operating Procedures points to the GOP.
• A section that starts with Appendix points to the Appendices.
• A treatment protocol name, like Asthma / COPD / Wheezing or Obstructed Airway, points to the Prehospital Treatment Protocols.

In the RemacReady Protocol Reader, page chips use short labels that say this outright: GOP p. 12, Protocols p. 38, Appendix p. 23.

Reading the page once you're there

Most treatment protocols follow the same layout, explained in the Introduction (Protocols p. 1):

• CFR and All Provider Levels, ending in a CFR STOP
• EMT, ending in an EMT STOP
• Paramedic, ending in a Paramedic STOP
• Medical Control Options: treatments that may only be given after contacting online medical control (OLMC). Apart from a few listed exceptions, these are paramedic-only.
• Key Points / Considerations: extra guidance that applies to all provider levels

Knowing this layout changes how you read a citation. If a question asks whether something can be done on standing orders, the answer depends on whether it sits above the Paramedic STOP or under Medical Control Options. On Protocols p. 26, for example, some SVT treatments are paramedic standing orders and others are listed only under Medical Control Options. The exam tests that distinction.

How to verify an answer

When you get a REMAC practice question wrong, or right by guessing, use the citation like this:

1. Commit to an answer first. Don't peek at the explanation until you've chosen.
2. Read the explanation. It should tell you why the right answer is right and why each other choice is wrong.
3. Open the cited page. Find the printed page in the right part of the book.
4. Find the exact line. Locate the step, dose, criterion or rule the question is built on.
5. Read the whole section. Look at what comes before and after: the other provider levels, the STOP lines, the Medical Control Options and the Key Points. The next exam question is often sitting right next to the one you just answered.
6. Note what surprised you. A short note on the misses you looked up yourself sticks far better than rereading.

If the explanation and the book disagree

The official protocol is the authority, not any study aid. If an explanation or citation doesn't match what you read in the book, trust the book and tell us. In RemacReady, every explanation has a Report a problem with this question link that opens a help request tied to that question.

How RemacReady's references and "Open in protocol" links work

Every RemacReady practice question is written against the 2026-01 edition of the NYC REMAC protocols, and every explanation includes the protocol reference with its page number.

• The reference line names the source, edition, section and printed page, in the format shown above.
• "Open in protocol" sits next to references that map to a page in the Protocol Reader. Tap it and the reader opens in a new tab at the cited page, so your quiz stays where you left it. For a page range, it opens on the first page.
• The Protocol Reader shows both labels for each page, the printed page and the PDF page (for example, "GOP p. 12 · PDF p. 16"), so you never have to do the math. It also has contents, search, and highlights, notes and bookmarks synced to your account.
• Choices are named by their text, not by letter, because answer choices are shuffled each time.
• Mock Exam works like the real thing: no feedback during the exam. Explanations and references appear once you finish.

The Protocol Reader is for signed-in users. Any RemacReady account, free or premium, can open it. Alongside the 2026 protocols, it also includes the NYC REMAC Certification & Credentialing Administrative Manual (June 2025) and REMAC Advisory 2025-05 on paramedic credentialing.

Why checking beats memorizing

It's tempting to treat practice questions as flashcards: see the question, memorize the answer, move on. That works until the real REMAC Basic exam asks about the same protocol from a different angle.

• The exam is written from the book. The 120 questions are based on the NYC REMAC protocols, covering the GOP, Treatment Protocols, Appendices and scenarios. Reading the source teaches you the rule, not just one question about it.
• Context is where the points are. Doses, age cutoffs, provider-level limits and medical control requirements live next to each other on the page. One lookup can cover three or four future questions.
• Editions change. A question bank that doesn't say which edition it uses can teach you an old rule with confidence. A citation with an edition and page lets you confirm you are studying the current book.
• It builds a skill you'll keep. Knowing your way around the protocol book is useful long after the exam.

For more on where the points are, read how hard the REMAC exam is and our 2026 NYC REMAC protocols overview. To build checking into a schedule, try the 30-day REMAC study plan. Exam basics are in the NYC REMAC exam guide, the credential landscape is in REMAC vs NREMT, and if you're preparing for a second attempt, see what to do after failing the REMAC exam.

Frequently asked questions

What does "Protocols p. 26" mean?

Printed page 26 of the Prehospital Treatment Protocols part of the 2026 NYC REMAC book. In the 2026-01 edition that page is Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) (Adult). It is not PDF page 26, and not page 26 of the GOP or the Appendices.

Why don't the page numbers match my PDF viewer?

Because printed page numbers restart at 1 in each part (GOP, Treatment Protocols, Appendices), and the PDF also contains covers and contents pages. Go by the page number in the footer, or use the RemacReady Protocol Reader, which shows both.

How do I know if a citation points to the GOP or the Appendices?

Look at the section name. Sections starting with "General Operating Procedures" are in the GOP, sections starting with "Appendix" are in the Appendices, and named treatment protocols are in the Prehospital Treatment Protocols.

Which protocol edition does RemacReady use?

The 2026 NYC REMAC Prehospital Treatment Protocols, version 2026-01, effective August 1, 2026. Always follow the current official protocols and your medical control.

Is the Protocol Reader free?

It's available to every signed-in RemacReady account, free or premium. It isn't open to signed-out visitors.

Where can I get the official protocols?

From NYC REMSCO at nycremsco.org/protocols (opens in a new tab). Confirm exam details there too, since rules and dates can change.

What if I find a mistake in a RemacReady explanation?

Use the Report a problem with this question link under the explanation. Not signed in? Use the contact form. More answers are in our FAQ.

Try it on ten questions

The best way to learn to use citations is to follow a few. Start free with a daily Quick 10 (opens in a new tab): ten NYC REMAC practice questions, each with a full explanation and a protocol page reference. Want the full picture first? See how RemacReady works, or browse our free REMAC practice questions.