| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to emergency medical transport by fire fighters of certain |
|
|
patients. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 773, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 773.0043 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 773.0043. FIRE FIGHTER EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS; |
|
|
MEDICAL TREATMENT AND TRANSPORT PROTOCOLS. (a) In this section, |
|
|
"fire fighter" means: |
|
|
(1) an individual who is defined as fire protection |
|
|
personnel under Section 419.021, Government Code; or |
|
|
(2) an individual who is a volunteer fire fighter |
|
|
certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection or the State |
|
|
Firefighters' and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas. |
|
|
(b) Notwithstanding Section 773.041, a fire fighter, |
|
|
regardless of whether the fire fighter is licensed as an emergency |
|
|
medical services provider, may transport a sick or injured patient |
|
|
to a health care facility in a vehicle other than an emergency |
|
|
medical services vehicle if: |
|
|
(1) the appropriate emergency medical services |
|
|
provider: |
|
|
(A) is notified of the patient's clinical |
|
|
condition; and |
|
|
(B) is unable to provide emergency medical |
|
|
services imminently at the patient's location; and |
|
|
(2) the medical treatment and transport protocols for |
|
|
the patient's apparent clinical condition authorize transport of |
|
|
the patient in a vehicle other than an emergency medical services |
|
|
vehicle. |
|
|
(c) Each emergency medical services and trauma care system |
|
|
shall develop the medical treatment and transport protocols |
|
|
necessary to implement this section for the area covered by the |
|
|
system and provide notice of the protocols to the emergency medical |
|
|
services providers and fire fighters in that area. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2024, each emergency |
|
|
medical services and trauma care system shall develop medical |
|
|
treatment and transport protocols necessary to implement Section |
|
|
773.0043, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, and provide |
|
|
notice of the protocols to the emergency medical services providers |
|
|
and fire fighters in the area. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 773.0043, Health and Safety Code, as |
|
|
added by this Act, applies only to transportation provided on or |
|
|
after January 1, 2024. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |