PRINTER'S NO. 1985
No. 1657 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY MERRY, TRELLO, FOX, B. SMITH, ROBINSON, HESS,
BILLOW, DIETTERICK, MORRIS, WOGAN, TIGUE, BOYES, DALEY,
NAILOR, HALUSKA, VROON, LASHINGER, E. Z. TAYLOR, JADLOWIEC,
JACKSON, FLEAGLE, D. W. SNYDER, GODSHALL, ARGALL, McVERRY,
G. SNYDER, DISTLER, CARLSON, HERMAN, NAHILL, S. H. SMITH,
ROBBINS, LEH, SERAFINI, RAYMOND, JOHNSON, FLICK, D. F. CLARK,
CLYMER AND NOYE, JUNE 7, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, JUNE 7, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), entitled "An
2 act relating to the prevention and reduction of premature
3 death and disability in this Commonwealth; providing for
4 assistance, coordination and support of the development and
5 maintenance of a comprehensive emergency medical services
6 system and for qualifications, eligibility and certification
7 of emergency medical services personnel and licensing
8 ambulance services; imposing powers and duties on the
9 Department of Health; and making repeals," further providing
10 for minimum standards for volunteer ambulance and rescue
11 services; and further providing for the emergency medical
12 services operating fund.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Sections 12(e)(4) and 14(d) of the act of July 3,
16 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the Emergency Medical Services
17 Act, amended October 21, 1988 (P.L.1055, No.121), are amended to
18 read:
19 Section 12. Minimum standards for ambulance service.
20 * * *
1 (e) Minimum standards for staffing.--Minimum staffing
2 standards for ambulance services which operate at the basic life
3 support level of care shall be as follows:
4 * * *
5 (4) Three years after the effective date of this act,
6 all ambulances, when transporting a patient or patients,
7 except for routine transfer of convalescent or other
8 nonemergency cases, shall be staffed by at least two persons,
9 one of whom shall be an emergency medical technician, EMT-
10 paramedic or health professional, and one of whom shall, at
11 least, qualify as an ambulance attendant. The emergency
12 medical technician, EMT-paramedic or health professional
13 shall accompany the patient in the patient compartment. This
14 paragraph shall not be applicable to any ambulance operated
15 by a volunteer fire department or by a volunteer ambulance or
16 rescue service [until July 3, 1990, and shall thereafter not
17 be applicable to any ambulance operated by a volunteer fire
18 department or by a volunteer ambulance or rescue service if
19 such department or service has a provisional license to
20 operate without complying with this subsection].
21 * * *
22 Section 14. Support of emergency medical services.
23 * * *
24 (d) Purpose of fund.--All money from the Emergency Medical
25 Services Operating Fund shall be disbursed by the department to
26 eligible providers of emergency medical services, as determined
27 by the department by regulation[, and to regional emergency
28 medical services councils] for the initiation, expansion,
29 maintenance and improvement of emergency medical services,
30 including ambulance and communications equipment and for
19890H1657B1985 - 2 -
1 training[, education and ambulance licensure purposes. These
2 funds shall not be used for any other purposes] and shall not be
3 used for Department of Health or Regional Emergency Medical
4 Services Council administrative costs.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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