FILED ON: 5/13/2016

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2294

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to volunteer ambulance service.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 111C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 25 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 25. (a) When a class I, II or V ambulance transports a patient receiving care at the paramedic level of advanced life support the ambulance shall be staffed in accordance with regulations promulgated by the department, with a minimum of 2 emergency medical technicians, only 1 of whom shall be certified at the EMT-Paramedic level; provided, however, that the service staffing a class I, II or V ambulance may staff the ambulance with more than 1 emergency medical technician certified at the EMT-Paramedic level.

(b) When a class I, II or V ambulance operated by a volunteer ambulance service provider transports a patient receiving care at the non-paramedic level of basic life support, the ambulance shall be staffed in accordance with regulations promulgated by the department, with at least 1 emergency medical technician who is certified at minimum at the EMT-Basic level, and 1 EMS first responder; provided, however, that the service staffing a class I, II or V ambulance may staff the ambulance with more than 1 emergency medical technician; provided, further, that this subsection shall apply only to municipalities with a population of  3,000 residents or less or to municipalities with a population density of 500 residents per square mile or less.

SECTION 2:  The department shall promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this section.