Sec. 19a-178a. Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board established; appointment; responsibilities. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 19a-178a. Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board established; appointment; responsibilities. (a) There is established within the Department of Public Health an Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board.

      (b) The advisory board shall consist of forty-one members, including the Commissioner of Public Health and the state medical director, or their designees. The Governor shall appoint the following members: One person from each of the regional emergency medical services councils; one person from the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health; three persons from the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians; one person from the Connecticut Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons; one person from the Connecticut Medical Advisory Committee; one person from the Emergency Department Nurses Association; one person from the Connecticut Association of Emergency Medical Services Instructors; one person from the Connecticut Hospital Association; two persons representing commercial ambulance providers; one person from the Connecticut Firefighters Association; one person from the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association; one person from the Connecticut Chiefs of Police Association; one person from the Connecticut State Police; and one person from the Connecticut Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. An additional eighteen members shall be appointed as follows: Three by the president pro tempore of the Senate; three by the majority leader of the Senate; four by the minority leader of the Senate; three by the speaker of the House of Representatives; two by the majority leader of the House of Representatives and three by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. The appointees shall include a person with experience in municipal ambulance services; a person with experience in for-profit ambulance services; three persons with experience in volunteer ambulance services; an emergency medical technician paramedic; an emergency medical technician; an emergency medical technician intermediate; three consumers and four persons from state-wide organizations with interests in emergency medical services as well as any other areas of expertise that may be deemed necessary for the proper functioning of the advisory board.

      (c) The Commissioner of Public Health shall appoint a chairperson from among the members of the advisory board who shall serve for a term of one year. The advisory board shall elect a vice-chairperson and secretary. The advisory board shall have committees made up of such members as the chairperson shall appoint and such other interested persons as the committee members shall elect to membership. The advisory board may, from time to time, appoint nonmembers to serve on such ad hoc committees as it deems necessary to assist with its functions. The advisory board shall develop bylaws. The advisory board shall establish a Connecticut Emergency Medical Services Medical Advisory Committee as a standing committee. The standing committee shall provide the commissioner, the advisory board and other ad hoc committees with advice and comment regarding the medical aspects of their projects. The standing committee may submit reports directly to the commissioner regarding medically-related concerns that have not, in the standing committee's opinion, been satisfactorily addressed by the advisory board.

      (d) The term for each appointed member of the advisory board shall be coterminous with the appointing authority. Appointees shall serve without compensation.

      (e) The advisory board, in addition to other power conferred and in addition to functioning in a general advisory capacity, shall assist in coordinating the efforts of all persons and agencies in the state concerned with the emergency medical service system, and shall render advice on the development of the emergency medical service system where needed. The advisory board shall make an annual report to the commissioner.

      (f) The advisory board shall be provided a reasonable opportunity to review and make recommendations on all regulations, medical guidelines and policies affecting emergency medical services before the department establishes such regulations, medical guidelines or policies. The advisory board shall make recommendations to the Governor and to the General Assembly concerning legislation which, in the advisory board's judgment, will improve the delivery of emergency medical services.

      (P.A. 98-195, S. 1.)