Carey introduces legislation to improve EMS training, response times in rural communities
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State Senator John Carey (R-Wellston) recently introduced important legislation designed to help strengthen training opportunities for paramedics and improve fire and EMS response times in Ohio's rural communities.
Earlier this year, the State Board of Emergency Medical Services voted to
mandate that all paramedic training programs in Ohio become nationally
accredited by 2018. This process can take months and cost thousands of
dollars per program, per year to complete. There can also be additional
costs for new training equipment and bachelor¹s degrees for some paramedic
training program coordinators.
Senator Carey voiced tremendous concern at the time that this mandate would
unnecessarily increase expenses for local EMS departments in Ohio, which
often pay to train paramedics to serve their region, and could significantly hamper efforts to recruit and retain emergency medical workers in the 17th Senate District and other rural parts of the state.
In response, Senator Carey worked with officials at the Ohio Department of
Public Safety and the state EMS Board over the past several months to craft
Senate Bill 302, legislation that would allow existing state EMS grants to
be used to help paramedic training programs achieve national accreditation
standards.
"I would like to thank the Department of Public Safety and EMS board for their cooperation, hard work and willingness to work together to reach a resolution on this critical issue for the health and well-being of the residents of southern Ohio and other rural parts of the state," said Carey. "SB 302 would give EMS training programs the resources necessary to meet national accreditation standards thus strengthening the knowledge and experience of paramedics in our region and helping communities afford to attract and keep talented emergency medical professionals."
In addition, after having discussions with the Ohio Fire Chief's Association, Senator Carey worked to include language in SB 302 to clarify requirements for staffing ambulances to help fire departments and EMS organizations, which rely substantially on volunteer staff, serve Ohioans in need more quickly and effectively.
The bill says that if an ambulance is traveling to the scene of an emergency, the vehicle would only need to be staffed by one EMT or paramedic, who can also be the driver. Other first responders and emergency personnel would be able to meet the ambulance at the scene, saving them the time of having to go to the fire station first. SB 302 also clarifies that when an ambulance is transporting a patient, it would need to be staffed by at least two EMTs or paramedics, or by one first responder and one EMT or paramedic. One of these individuals could also be the driver.
State Senator John Carey (R-Wellston) recently introduced important legislation designed to help strengthen training opportunities for paramedics and improve fire and EMS response times in Ohio's rural communities.
Earlier this year, the State Board of Emergency Medical Services voted to mandate that all paramedic training programs in Ohio become nationally accredited by 2018. This process can take months and cost thousands of dollars per program, per year to complete. There can also be additional costs for new training equipment and bachelor¹s degrees for some paramedic training program coordinators.
Senator Carey voiced tremendous concern at the time that this mandate would unnecessarily increase expenses for local EMS departments in Ohio, which often pay to train paramedics to serve their region, and could significantly hamper efforts to recruit and retain emergency medical workers in the 17th Senate District and other rural parts of the state.
In response, Senator Carey worked with officials at the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the state EMS Board over the past several months to craft Senate Bill 302, legislation that would allow existing state EMS grants to be used to help paramedic training programs achieve national accreditation standards.
"I would like to thank the Department of Public Safety and EMS board for their cooperation, hard work and willingness to work together to reach a resolution on this critical issue for the health and well-being of the residents of southern Ohio and other rural parts of the state," said Carey. "SB 302 would give EMS training programs the resources necessary to meet national accreditation standards thus strengthening the knowledge and experience of paramedics in our region and helping communities afford to attract and keep talented emergency medical professionals."
In addition, after having discussions with the Ohio Fire Chief's Association, Senator Carey worked to include language in SB 302 to clarify requirements for staffing ambulances to help fire departments and EMS organizations, which rely substantially on volunteer staff, serve Ohioans in need more quickly and effectively.
The bill says that if an ambulance is traveling to the scene of an emergency, the vehicle would only need to be staffed by one EMT or paramedic, who can also be the driver. Other first responders and emergency personnel would be able to meet the ambulance at the scene, saving them the time of having to go to the fire station first. SB 302 also clarifies that when an ambulance is transporting a patient, it would need to be staffed by at least two EMTs or paramedics, or by one first responder and one EMT or paramedic. One of these individuals could also be the driver.
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