§ 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.