(A) The Department of Health and Environmental Control, with the advice of the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council and the State Medical Control Physician, shall develop standards and promulgate regulations for the improvement of emergency medical services (hereinafter referred to as EMS) in the State. All administrative responsibility for this program is vested in the department.

(B) The EMS Program shall include:

(1) the regulation and licensing of public, private, volunteer, or other type ambulance services; however, in developing these programs for regulating and licensing ambulance services, the programs must be formulated in such a manner so as not to restrict or restrain competition;

(2) inspection and issuance of permits for ambulance vehicles;

(3) the licensing of emergency medical responder agencies;

(4) training and certification of EMS personnel;

(5) development, adoption, and implementation of EMS standards and state plan;

(6) the development and coordination of an EMS communications system;

(7) designation of trauma centers and the categorization of hospital emergency departments; and

(8) the establishment of an electronic patient care reporting system to provide data to the National EMS Information System database for betterment of EMS across the nation.

(C) An Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council must be established composed of representatives of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the South Carolina Medical Association, the South Carolina Trauma Advisory Council, the South Carolina Hospital Association, the South Carolina Heart Association, Medical University of South Carolina, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, South Carolina College of Emergency Physicians, South Carolina Emergency Nurses Association, Emergency Management Division of the Office of the Adjutant General, South Carolina Emergency Medical Services Association, State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, Governor's Office of Highway Safety, Department of Health and Human Services, four regional Emergency Medical Services councils, and one EMT first responder agency. Membership on the council must be by appointment by the board. Three members of the advisory council must be members of organized rescue squads operating in this State, three members shall represent the private emergency services systems, and three members shall represent the county emergency medical services systems. The advisory council shall serve without compensation, mileage, per diem, or subsistence.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 32-905.32; 1974 (58) 2370; 1975 (59) 201; 1981 Act No. 144, Section 2; 1996 Act No. 263, Section 3; 2002 Act No. 190, Section 7, eff March 12, 2002; 2004 Act No. 271, Section 1, eff July 16, 2004; 2010 Act No. 157, Section 1, eff May 11, 2010.