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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY CAUSER, BARRAR, SAINATO, BAKER, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, DAY, DENLINGER, EVERETT, FARRY, FLECK, GABLER, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRELL, HENNESSEY, HORNAMAN, KULA, O'NEILL, PICKETT, QUINN, RAPP, ROCK, SONNEY, STERN, SWANGER, TALLMAN, THOMAS AND VULAKOVICH, JUNE 2, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 2, 2011 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study |
2 | the financial and administrative effectiveness of the |
3 | emergency medical services system. |
4 | WHEREAS, The Emergency Medical Services System Act was |
5 | enacted as 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 81 (relating to emergency medical |
6 | services system) to replace the former act of July 3, 1985 |
7 | (P.L.164, No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Services Act; |
8 | and |
9 | WHEREAS, The enactment of the Emergency Medical Services |
10 | System Act was the culmination of years of research and |
11 | preparation to update the emergency medical services delivery |
12 | system in this Commonwealth; and |
13 | WHEREAS, The Emergency Medical Services System Act changed |
14 | the emergency medical services delivery system from a system |
15 | based on national standards to a system based on curriculum; and |
16 | WHEREAS, The Commonwealth should continually assess and |
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1 | revise the statutes and regulations which govern the functions |
2 | of emergency medical services agencies and providers and other |
3 | components of the emergency medical services system; and |
4 | WHEREAS, It is the public policy of the General Assembly to |
5 | ensure that the emergency medical services system adapts to |
6 | changing needs of the residents of this Commonwealth and |
7 | promotes the recruitment and retention of persons willing and |
8 | qualified to serve as emergency medical services providers in |
9 | this Commonwealth; and |
10 | WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds it to be in the public |
11 | interest to ensure readily available and coordinated emergency |
12 | medical services of the highest quality to the citizens of this |
13 | great Commonwealth; and |
14 | WHEREAS, There have been many changes in technology and |
15 | organizational administration since the inception of the former |
16 | Emergency Medical Services Act, such as the advent of the |
17 | community college system, online computer courses, national |
18 | associations and local area programs for emergency medical |
19 | services training; and |
20 | WHEREAS, Changes in technology, systems management, |
21 | infrastructure and communications capabilities allow for the |
22 | Commonwealth to explore more beneficial approaches for the |
23 | provision of the highest quality system for the delivery of |
24 | emergency medical services, training and planning, as well as |
25 | all-hazard emergency preparedness and disaster response training |
26 | and planning; and |
27 | WHEREAS, The approximate $11,800,000 in annual funding for |
28 | these emergency medical services under the Emergency Medical |
29 | Services Operating Fund may be more effectively used under a |
30 | more streamlined system which uses existing training, planning |
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1 | and infrastructure resources; and |
2 | WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's Regional Counter-Terrorism Task |
3 | Force infrastructure is a model for the country and may serve as |
4 | a model for streamlining the current emergency medical services |
5 | system in this Commonwealth; therefore be it |
6 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the |
7 | Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the financial |
8 | and administrative effectiveness of the emergency medical |
9 | services system, including the responsibility of the Bureau of |
10 | Emergency Medical Services and the use, role and effectiveness |
11 | of the 16 regional emergency medical services councils; and be |
12 | it further |
13 | RESOLVED, That the committee explore enhancing the current |
14 | system for the delivery of the Commonwealth's emergency medical |
15 | system through the use of existing government and private sector |
16 | programs, institutions, facilities and infrastructure resources |
17 | and nationally recognized associations and organizations |
18 | to especially explore the feasibility of using the |
19 | Commonwealth's many colleges and universities and community |
20 | colleges, taking into account the availability of online |
21 | services and courses and the use of adjunct professors; and be |
22 | it further |
23 | RESOLVED, That the committee examine the possibility of |
24 | streamlining and restructuring the regional emergency medical |
25 | services system and examine the feasibility of matching the |
26 | regional emergency medical services councils to the current |
27 | regional counter-terrorism zones within this Commonwealth to |
28 | minimize the duplication of services and overlapping |
29 | jurisdictions; and be it further |
30 | RESOLVED, That the committee prepare a comprehensive listing |
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1 | of both the expenditures of the Emergency Medical Services |
2 | Operating Fund and a comprehensive listing of all compensation |
3 | packages of all employees of the regional emergency medical |
4 | services councils; and be it further |
5 | RESOLVED, That the committee make recommendations for a more |
6 | streamlined delivery model based on the findings of the |
7 | committee; and be it further |
8 | RESOLVED, That the committee issue a report of its findings |
9 | and recommendations to the Veterans Affairs and Emergency |
10 | Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives by |
11 | December 31, 2011. |
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