WEST virginia legislature

2023 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2760

By Delegates Ross, Dillon, Burkhammer, A. Hall and Riley

[Introduced January 18, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services then Government Organization]

A BILL to amend and reenact §17C-1-6 of the Code of West Virginia,1931, as amended, relating to permitting firefighters to drive ambulances when both attendants are needed to administer patient care.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 1. WORDS AND PHRASES DEFINED.

§17C-1-6.  Authorized emergency vehicle.

"Authorized emergency vehicle" means vehicles of a fire department, duly chartered rescue squad, police department, ambulance service, hospital police department, state, county, or municipal agency, and such privately owned ambulances, tow trucks, wreckers, flag car services, vehicles providing road service to disabled vehicles, service vehicles of a public service corporation, postal service vehicles, snow removal equipment, Class A vehicles of firefighters, Class A vehicles of members of ambulance services, Class A vehicles of members of duly chartered rescue squads, emergency management and operations vehicles operated by airports and designated pursuant to §17C-15-26 of this code, and all other emergency vehicles as are designated by the agency responsible for the operation and control of these persons or organizations. Class A vehicles are as defined by §17A-10-1 of this code. Agency authorization and emergency equipment are provided in §17C-15-26 of this code. Agencies responsible for issuing authorization for emergency vehicle permits may promulgate such regulations that are necessary for the issuance of permits for emergency vehicles. In the event that emergency medical technicians ("EMTs") or paramedics on the scene of an emergency are both unable to drive an ambulance in the course of administering patient care, firefighters on the scene shall be permitted to drive an ambulance without obtaining Emergency Vehicle Operations Certification ("EVOC") otherwise required by this code.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit firefighters to drive ambulances at the scene of an emergency in limited circumstances.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.