Published: 2015-07-09
Key Benefits:
Each county may develop an emergency medical services program. Each county developing such a program shall designate a local EMS agency which shall be the county health department, an agency established and operated by the county, an entity with which the county contracts for the purposes of local emergency medical services administration, or a joint powers agency created for the administration of emergency medical services by agreement between counties or cities and counties pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.
(Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.)
Upon the request of a city or fire district that contracted for or provided, as of June 1, 1980, prehospital emergency medical services, a county shall enter into a written agreement with the city or fire district regarding the provision of prehospital emergency medical services for that city or fire district. Until such time that an agreement is reached, prehospital emergency medical services shall be continued at not less than the existing level, and the administration of prehospital EMS by cities and fire districts presently providing such services shall be retained by those cities and fire districts, except the level of prehospital EMS may be reduced where the city council, or the governing body of a fire district, pursuant to a public hearing, determines that the reduction is necessary.
Notwithstanding any provision of this section the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1798) shall apply.
(Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.)
(a) Every local EMS agency shall have a full- or part-time licensed physician and surgeon as medical director, who has substantial experience in the practice of emergency medicine, as designated by the county or by the joint powers agreement, to provide medical control and to assure medical accountability throughout the planning, implementation and evaluation of the EMS system. The authority director may waive the requirement that the medical director have substantial experience in the practice of emergency medicine if the requirement places an undue hardship on the county or counties.
(b) The medical director of the local EMS agency may appoint one or more physicians and surgeons as assistant medical directors to assist the medical director with the discharge of the duties of medical director or to assume those duties during any time that the medical director is unable to carry out those duties as the medical director deems necessary.
(c) The medical director may assign to administrative staff of the local EMS agency for completion under the supervision of the medical director, any administrative functions of his or her duties which do not require his or her professional judgment as medical director.
(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1362, Sec. 9. Effective October 2, 1989.)
The local EMS agency shall plan, implement, and evaluate an emergency medical services system, in accordance with the provisions of this part, consisting of an organized pattern of readiness and response services based on public and private agreements and operational procedures.
(Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.)
The local EMS agency shall be responsible for implementation of advanced life support systems and limited advanced life support systems and for the monitoring of training programs.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1246, Sec. 27.)
The local EMS agency shall be responsible for determining that the operation of training programs at the EMT-I, EMT-II, and EMT-P levels are in compliance with this division, and shall approve the training programs if they are found to be in compliance with this division. The training program at the California Highway Patrol Academy shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
(Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 248, Sec. 131.)
(a) The medical director of the local EMS agency shall issue a certificate, except an EMT-P certificate, to an individual upon proof of satisfactory completion of an approved training program, passage of the certifying examination designated by the authority, completion of any other requirements for certification established by the authority, and a determination that the individual is not precluded from certification for any of the reasons listed in Section 1798.200. The certificate shall be proof of the individual’s initial competence to perform at the designated level.
(b) The medical director of the local EMS agency shall, at the interval specified by the authority, recertify an EMT-I or EMT-II upon proof of the individual’s satisfactory passage of the examination for recertification designated by the authority, completion of any continuing education or other requirements for recertification established by the authority, and a determination that the individual is not precluded from recertification because of any of the reasons listed in Section 1798.200.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 64, Sec. 5. Effective June 30, 1993.)
Each local EMS agency shall submit certificate status updates to the authority within three working days after a final determination is made regarding a certification disciplinary action taken by the medical director that results in a change to an EMT-I or EMT-II certificate status.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 274, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2009.)
The local EMS agency may establish a schedule of fees for certification in an amount sufficient to cover the reasonable cost of administering the certification provisions of this division. However, a local EMS agency shall not collect fees for the certification or recertification of an EMT-P.
(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 64, Sec. 6. Effective June 30, 1993.)
(a) Any local EMS agency conducting a program pursuant to this article may provide courses of instruction and training leading to certification as an EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or authorized registered nurse. When such instruction and training are provided, a fee may be charged sufficient to defray the cost of such instruction and training.
(b) Effective July 1, 1990, any courses of instruction and training leading to certification as an EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or authorized registered nurse shall include a course of training on the nature of sudden infant death syndrome which is developed by the California SIDS program in the State Department of Health Services in consultation with experts in the field of sudden infant death syndrome, and effective January 1, 1990, any individual certified as an EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or authorized registered nurse shall complete that course of training. The course shall include information on the community resources available to assist families who have lost a child to sudden infant death syndrome. An individual who was certified as an EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or authorized registered nurse prior to January 1, 1990, shall complete supplementary training on this topic on or before January 1, 1992.
(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1111, Sec. 6.)
A local EMS agency may require additional training or qualifications, for the use of drugs, devices, or skills in either the standard scope of practice or a local EMS agency optional scope of practice, which are greater than those provided in this chapter as a condition precedent for practice within such EMS area in an advanced life support or limited advanced life support prehospital care system consistent with standards adopted pursuant to this division.
(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1362, Sec. 11. Effective October 2, 1989.)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, EMT-I's, EMT-II's, and EMT-P’s shall be required to renew their cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificate no more than once every two years.
(Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 774, Sec. 1.)
Public safety agencies that are certifying entities may certify and recertify public safety personnel as EMT-I. The state fire marshal, subject to policy guidance and advice from the State Board of Fire Services, may certify and recertify fire safety personnel as EMT-I. All persons certified shall have completed a program of training approved by the local EMS agency or the authority and have passed a competency-based examination.
(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 274, Sec. 12. Effective January 1, 2009.)
(a) Every certifying entity shall submit to the authority certification data required by Section 1797.117.
(b) The authority shall collect fees from each certifying entity for the certification and certification renewal of each EMT-I and EMT-II in an amount sufficient to support the authority’s central registry program and the local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program. Separate additional fees may be charged, at the option of the authority, for services that are not shared by all applicants.
(c) The authority’s fees shall be established in regulations, and fees charged for individual services shall be set so that the total fees charged shall not exceed the authority’s actual total cost for the authority’s central registry program, state and federal criminal offender record information search response program, and the local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program.
(d) In addition to any fees collected by EMT-I or EMT-II certifying entities to support their certification, recertification, or enforcement programs, EMT-I or EMT-II certifying entities shall collect fees to support the authority’s central registry program, and the local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program. In lieu of collecting fees from an individual, pursuant to an employer choice, a collective bargaining agreement, or other employment contract, the certifying entity shall provide the appropriate fees to the authority pursuant to this subdivision.
(e) All fees collected for or provided to the authority in a calendar month by an EMT-I or EMT-II certifying entity pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the authority for deposit into the Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund within 30 calendar days following the last day of the calendar month in which the fees were received by the certifying entity, unless a contract between the certifying entity and the authority specifies a different timeframe.
(f) At the option of the authority, fees may be collected for the authority by an entity that contracts with the authority to provide any of the services associated with the registry program, or the state and federal criminal offender record information search response program, or the local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program. All fees collected for the authority in a calendar month by any entity designated by the authority pursuant to this section to collect fees for the authority shall be transmitted to the authority for deposit into the Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund within 30 calendar days following the last day of the calendar month in which the fees were received by the designated entity, unless the contract between the entity and the authority specifies a different timeframe.
(g) The authority shall annually evaluate fees to determine if the fee is sufficient to fund the actual costs of the authority’s central registry program, state and federal criminal offender record information search response program, and local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program. If the evaluation shows that the fees are excessive or are insufficient to fund the actual costs of these programs, then the fees will be adjusted accordingly through the rulemaking process as outlined in the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(h) The Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. All moneys deposited in the fund shall be made available, upon appropriation, to the authority for purposes of the central registry program, state and federal criminal offender record information search response program, and the local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program. The local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program is solely for the purpose of making reimbursements to local emergency medical service agencies for actual administrative law judge costs regarding EMT-I or EMT-II disciplinary action appeals. Reimbursement to the local emergency medical service agencies shall only be made if adequate funds are available from fees collected for the authority’s local EMS agency administrative law judge reimbursement program.
(i) The authority may transfer unused portions of the Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund to the Surplus Money Investment Fund. Funds transferred to the Surplus Money Investment Fund shall be placed in a separate trust account, and shall be available for transfer to the Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund, together with interest earned, when requested by the authority.
(j) The authority shall maintain a reserve balance in the Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund of 5 percent of annual revenues. Any increase in the fees deposited in the Emergency Medical Technician Certification Fund shall be effective upon a determination by the authority that additional moneys are required to fund expenditures of this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 296, Sec. 150. Effective January 1, 2012.)
Any local EMS agency may authorize an advanced life support or limited advanced life support program which provides services utilizing EMT-II or EMT-P, or both, for the delivery of emergency medical care to the sick and injured at the scene of an emergency, during transport to a general acute care hospital, during interfacility transfer, while in the emergency department of a general acute care hospital until care responsibility is assumed by the regular staff of that hospital, and during training within the facilities of a participating general acute care hospital.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1246, Sec. 34.)
All investigatory and disciplinary processes for EMT-I and EMT-II certificate holders shall be, subject to Chapter 9.6 (commencing with Section 3250) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, with respect to certificate holders who are firefighters otherwise subject to these provisions, and Chapter 9.7 (commencing with Section 3300) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, with respect to certificate holders who are peace officers otherwise subject to these provisions.
(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 274, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 2009.)
The local EMS agency, using state minimum standards, shall establish policies and procedures approved by the medical director of the local EMS agency to assure medical control of the EMS system. The policies and procedures approved by the medical director may require basic life support emergency medical transportation services to meet any medical control requirements including dispatch, patient destination policies, patient care guidelines, and quality assurance requirements.
(Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1390, Sec. 5.)
The medical director of the local EMS agency may approve or conduct any scientific or trial study of the efficacy of the prehospital emergency use of any drug, device, or treatment procedure within the local EMS system, utilizing any level of prehospital emergency medical care personnel. The study shall be consistent with any requirements established by the authority for scientific or trial studies conducted within the prehospital emergency medical care system, and, where applicable, with Article 5 (commencing with Section 111550) of Chapter 6 of Part 5 of Division 104. No drug, device, or treatment procedure which has been specifically excluded by the authority from usage in the EMS system shall be included in such a study.
(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1023, Sec. 174. Effective September 29, 1996.)
A county, upon the recommendation of its local EMS agency, may adopt ordinances governing the transport of a patient who is receiving care in the field from prehospital emergency medical personnel, when the patient meets specific criteria for trauma, burn, or pediatric centers adopted by the local EMS agency.
The ordinances shall, to the extent possible, ensure that individual patients receive appropriate medical care while protecting the interests of the community at large by making maximum use of available emergency medical care resources. These ordinances shall be consistent with Sections 1797.106, 1798.100, and 1798.102, and shall not conflict with any state regulations or any guidelines adopted by the Emergency Medical Service Authority.
This section shall not be construed as prohibiting the helicopter program of the Department of the California Highway Patrol from a role in providing emergency medical services when the best medically qualified person at the scene of an accident determines it is in the best interests of any injured party.
(Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1237, Sec. 2.)
A local EMS agency may create one or more exclusive operating areas in the development of a local plan, if a competitive process is utilized to select the provider or providers of the services pursuant to the plan. No competitive process is required if the local EMS agency develops or implements a local plan that continues the use of existing providers operating within a local EMS area in the manner and scope in which the services have been provided without interruption since January 1, 1981. A local EMS agency which elects to create one or more exclusive operating areas in the development of a local plan shall develop and submit for approval to the authority, as part of the local EMS plan, its competitive process for selecting providers and determining the scope of their operations. This plan shall include provisions for a competitive process held at periodic intervals. Nothing in this section supersedes Section 1797.201.
(Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1349, Sec. 3.)
Without altering or otherwise affecting the meaning of any portion of this division as to any other county, as to San Bernardino County only, it shall be competent for any local EMS agency which establishes exclusive operating areas pursuant to Section 1797.224 to determine the following:
(a) That a minor alteration in the level of life support personnel or equipment, which does not significantly reduce the level of care available, shall not constitute a change in the manner and scope of providing services.
(b) That a successor to a previously existing emergency services provider shall qualify as an existing provider if the successor has continued uninterrupted the emergency transportation previously supplied by the prior provider.
(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 965, Sec. 1.)
