§ 1021.24. Use of EMSOF funding by a regional EMS council.
(a) A regional EMS council may receive EMSOF funding from the Department for the following purposes:
(1) Providing public education, information, health promotion and prevention programs regarding EMS, including:
(i) Public education programs, instruction regarding call-taking and dispatching and how to access EMS systems.
(ii) Public information programs, including passenger and driver safety and EMS system awareness programs.
(iii) Health promotion programs, including wellness of EMS workforce and EMS safety programs that promote a culture of safe practices among EMS providers.
(iv) Prevention programs, including passenger restraint systems, prudent heart living and general health awareness, and safety practices to prevent errors in patient care and injuries to EMS providers.
(2) Purchasing ambulances, other EMS vehicles, medical equipment and rescue equipment which enables or enhances the delivery of EMS.
(i) Ambulances and other EMS vehicles will be considered for funding if the funds will be used for the initial acquisition of vehicles or parts, or the addition or replacement of existing vehicles or parts, by an EMS agency or an entity that qualifies for initial licensure as an EMS agency.
(ii) Medical equipment will be considered for funding if the funds will be used to purchase medical equipment for EMS agencies.
(iii) Rescue equipment will be considered for funding if the funds will be used to purchase rescue equipment for EMS agencies or rescue services recognized by the Department or the State Fire Commissioner.
(3) Conducting and ensuring the reasonable availability of training and testing programs for EMS providers. Priority consideration with respect to training will be given to training programs leading to the certification of EMS providers and the continuing education of EMS providers.
(4) Inspecting and investigating EMS agencies, educational institutes and medical facilities, and conducting other inspections and investigations to assist the Department in carrying out its regulatory responsibilities under the act.
(5) Purchasing communications equipment and services, including medical command communications equipment, and alerting equipment for EMS purposes.
(6) Purchasing equipment for emergency departments, if the equipment is used or intended to be used in equipment exchange programs with EMS agencies. The equipment purchased must be of a type used by EMS agencies in the EMS provided to patients in a prehospital or interhospital setting. It must be the type of equipment that can be easily or safely removed from the patient upon arrival or during treatment at a receiving facility.
(7) Maintaining and operating a regional EMS council. Items eligible for funding include:
(i) Salaries, wages and benefits of staff.
(ii) Travel.
(iii) Equipment and supplies.
(iv) Leasing office space.
(v) Other costs incidental to the conduct of the business of a regional EMS council which are found by the Department to be necessary and appropriate.
(8) Collecting and analyzing data necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of EMS systems in providing EMS and to administer quality improvement programs. These costs may include the processing of both prehospital and hospital data and include:
(i) Data collection.
(ii) Data entry.
(iii) Data processing of information.
(iv) Data analysis and evaluation.
(v) Data interpretation and dissemination.
(9) Facilitating the merger of EMS agencies or assisting an EMS agency to acquire another EMS agency when the Department determines circumstances exist to the extent that the transaction and financial assistance are needed to serve the public interest.
(10) Recruitment and retention of EMS providers by EMS agencies.
(11) Other costs determined by the Department to be appropriate and necessary for the implementation of a comprehensive regional EMS system.
(b) The Department will set forth additional priorities for funding on a yearly basis in a notice published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(c) Funds appropriated to the Department from the EMSOF will not be made available for the following:
(1) Acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of facilities or buildings, except renovation as may be necessary for the implementation or modification of 911 and EMS communication systems.
(2) Purchase of hospital equipment, other than communications equipment for medical command and receiving facilities, unless the equipment is used or intended to be used in an equipment exchange program with EMS agencies.
(3) Maintenance of ambulances, other EMS vehicles and equipment.
(4) Costs deemed by the Department as inappropriate for carrying out the purposes of the act.
(5) Costs which are normally borne by patients, except for extraordinary costs as determined by the Department.
(d) As approved by the Department, a regional EMS council may make purchases and other expenditures of funds on behalf of EMS agencies, recognized rescue services, accredited educational institutes and medical command facilities for cost-savings purposes. The Department may distribute funds to these entities to make these purchases and other expenditures of funds.
(e) The Department, by contract, grant or notice published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, may require a regional EMS council or entity to which a regional EMS council distributes funds to provide matching funds in specified percentages as a condition for receiving EMSOF funds.
Cross References This section cited in 28 Pa. Code § 1021.28 (relating to contracts and grants with the Advisory Board).
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