ยง 3052. Establishment of a training program for emergency medical
services personnel. 1. There is hereby established a training program
for emergency medical services personnel including, but not limited to,
first responders, emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency
medical technicians and emergency vehicle operators.
2. The commissioner shall provide state aid within the amount
appropriated to entities such as local governments, regional emergency
medical services councils, and voluntary agencies and organizations to
conduct training courses for emergency medical services personnel and to
conduct practical examinations for certification of such personnel. The
commissioner shall establish a schedule for determining the amount of
state aid provided pursuant to this section.
a. Such schedule may include varying rates for distinct geographic
areas of the state and for various course sizes, giving special
consideration to areas with the most need for additional emergency
medical technicians. In determining the need for additional emergency
medical technicians, the commissioner shall use measurements such as the
average number of emergency medical technicians per ambulance service,
the ratio of emergency medical technicians per square mile, the average
number of calls per service and the percentage of calls to which an
emergency medical technician has responded, provided such data is
available to the commissioner.
b. Such schedule shall provide sufficient reimbursement to permit
sponsors to offer basic emergency medical technician courses which
adhere to curricula approved by the New York state emergency medical
services council and the commissioner without the need to charge tuition
to participants.
3. Upon request, the commissioner shall provide management advice and
technical assistance to regional emergency medical services councils,
county emergency medical services coordinators, and course sponsors and
instructors to stimulate the improvement of training courses and the
provision of courses in a manner which encourages participation. Such
advice and technical assistance may relate to, but need not be limited
to the location, scheduling and structure of courses.
4. The department is authorized, either directly or through
contractual arrangement, to develop and distribute training materials
for use by course instructors and sponsors, to recruit additional
instructors and sponsors and to provide training courses for
instructors.
5. The commissioner shall conduct a public service campaign to recruit
additional volunteers to join ambulance services targeted to areas in
need for additional emergency medical technicians.