There has been a flurry of activity the past six months at the State Capitol in Madison regarding First Responders, and allowing them to operate at their level of license as one member of a two-person legal ambulance crew. Many fire and ambulance departments, especially in the rural areas, see utilization of first responders as the lifeline they need to get the ambulance out the door to a 911 medical call. However, there is mixed review as others in the profession see this measure as a "band-aid" fix to a larger problem and dwindling volunteers.
Both the Senate and Assembly versions include a population component. Population less than 10,000 can automatically staff a first responder as a legal crew member, and doesn't require a staffing plan waiver. More than 20,000 population can't use first responders as a legal crew staffing option. Population is defined by the single largest municipality in the ambulance service's coverage area.
Population 10,000 or more but not more than 20,000 may apply to the Department of Health for a staffing plan waiver; however, certain conditions must be demonstrated to include all of the following:
- The ambulance service provider has undertaken efforts to recruit and train emergency medical technicians capable of being licensed under this section.
- Despite efforts under subd. 2. a., licensed emergency medical technicians are not available in sufficient numbers for staffing for the ambulance services provider.
- Without a waiver under subd. 1., the municipality that the ambulance service provider serves is unable to meet staffing requirements for ambulances that require 2 emergency medical technicians on every service call.
- The department shall provide a written staffing waiver to any ambulance service provider it approves under subd. 2.
- A waiver under subd. 1. is valid for 48 months after the date of issuance, and an ambulance service provider may apply to renew the waiver.
- An ambulance service provider with a waiver under subd. 1. shall attempt to staff an ambulance with 2 licensed emergency medical technicians whenever possible.
Now that the Senate and Assembly versions have passed, the bills now head to Governor Scott Walker for signature to become law.
