California AB 1245

[TB 3541]

For those of us in California, what do you know about this assembly bill? How will it affect EMS here?

Bill Text - AB-1245 Emergency Medical Services

This is what I got in the mail. My thought after reading this was, "maybe this will solve the EMT-B tidal wave by making requirements higher." But I'm not sure if that is what it will do. It seems to me that it will just make "First Responder" a recognized level in CA, but not even a certification. I am likely wrong, though. Please comment.

 

[JPINFV]

Your link is broken.

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB1245&search_keywords=

 

[JPINFV]

http://www.emsa.ca.gov/Newsletter/2012/04-April/April-12.asp#Backer

Basically the first responder/first aid training standards for police, non-medical fire fighters, and other non-medical responders (i.e. park rangers, etc) were never really formalized and not controlled by the California EMSA and the LEMSAs. What they're looking at doing is formally recognizing the EMR level for those people and bring it in line, regulation and statute wise, with the rest of the EMS system.

 

[Chris07]

With EMR officially recognized, do you think Fire Departments will start sending people to get their EMR instead of EMT? Or is the applicant pool still laden enough with EMTs that Fire Departments won't have a need to send anyone anywhere?

 

[JPINFV]

With EMR officially recognized, do you think Fire Departments will start sending people to get their EMR instead of EMT? Or is the applicant pool still laden enough with EMTs that Fire Departments won't have a need to send anyone anywhere?

Except in rare cases, I don't see the LEMSAs allowing it any more than EMT-IIs/AEMTs replacing paramedics. I definitely don't see it happening in the areas where the FD is the ambulance provider or paramedic provider (e.g. LA and OC where a private company provides a BLS ambulance for 911 calls).

 

[TB 3541]

With EMR officially recognized, do you think Fire Departments will start sending people to get their EMR instead of EMT? Or is the applicant pool still laden enough with EMTs that Fire Departments won't have a need to send anyone anywhere?

Well, it was worth a shot...

 

[DesertMedic66]

With EMR officially recognized, do you think Fire Departments will start sending people to get their EMR instead of EMT? Or is the applicant pool still laden enough with EMTs that Fire Departments won't have a need to send anyone anywhere?

For alot of SoCal more then likely they won't be using EMRs. There are still alot of EMTs and Medics who have applications in. With more applications being placed as students pass their EMT class.

For all of my area in order to place an application for a FireFighting position you have to at least have your EMT cert.

Fire is pushing themselves to try to be the major medical resource and to justify their cost. So if they more to EMRs instead of EMTs that will be the opposite of what they want. I know a couple of Fire departments that only staff Medic firefighters. I have heard rumors about alot of other departments wanting to change to this as well.