ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
EMTs; first responder;
definition
Purpose
Redefines the training
standards required of first responders.
Background
In accordance with A.R.S. §
36-2201, a “first responder” is a person who is employed by an ambulance
service and whose primary responsibility is the driving of an ambulance. Statute also requires first responders to
comply with training and certification requirements adopted by the Director of
the Department of Health Services (DHS), as recommended by the Medical Director
of the Division of Emergency Medical Services and the Emergency Medical
Services Council. However, DHS has not
developed a curriculum for training first responders; nor has it adopted the
national standard curriculum prescribed by the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
A.R.S. § 36-2202 requires an
ambulance service provider operating in an area with a population of less than
10,000 persons to have a certified emergency medical technician (EMT) and a
first responder staffing an ambulance while transporting a patient. Due to the lack of training and
certification regulations for first responders, there are currently no
certified first responders in Arizona.
Under these statutory requirements, ambulance service providers in rural
areas have been required to staff their ambulances with two EMTs, which is more
costly.
H.B. 2482 attempts to
address the lack of first responders by prescribing training requirements for
first responders, thus allowing DHS to recognize first responders who have
completed a national curriculum and examination while under the supervision of
a qualified first responder instructor.
There is no fiscal impact to
the state general fund associated with the provisions of this bill.
Provisions
1. Redefines “first responder” as a person who has been trained under the supervision of a qualified first responder instructor, provides patient care and treatment, completes the first responder national standard curriculum course, the national registry first responder examination and, biennially, the first responder refresher national standard curriculum.
2. Requires ambulance service providers serving a certificate of necessity area with a population of more than 10,000 persons to have at least one certified EMT and one other ambulance attendant, excluding first responders, staffing ambulances while transporting patients. (Other ambulance attendants include licensed physicians and nurses.)
3. Defines “qualified first responder instructor” as a person tested and certified by DHS in accordance with the standards established by the American Red Cross.
4. Makes conforming and technical changes.
5. Provides for a general effective date.
1. Makes
clarifying changes.
House Action Senate
Action
HEALTH 2/2/00 DPA 8-0-0-1 HEALTH 3/7/00 DPA 7-0-2-0
3rd Read 2/28/00 53-0-7-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 13, 2000