Pennsylvania Code › Title 28 - HEALTH AND SAFETY › Part VII - Emergency Medical Services › Subpart A - EMS System › Chapter 1027 - EMS AGENCIES › Subchapter A - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS › Section 1027.7 - EMS vehicle fleet

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Inspection of EMS vehicles.
When an applicant for an EMS
					 agency license is inspected, a Department or regional EMS council inspector
					 will inspect each vehicle the applicant intends to operate as an EMS vehicle.
					 If the vehicle satisfies the requirements for the type of EMS vehicle
					 designated by the applicant, and the applicant otherwise satisfies the
					 requirements for licensure and to conduct a service for which the EMS vehicle
					 will be used, the inspector will affix a date stripe, with an inspection and
					 expiration date, to two decals appropriate to that type of EMS vehicle and
					 provide the decals to the applicant. The applicant shall place a decal in a
					 prominent location on each side of the vehicle. The applicant may not operate
					 the vehicle as an EMS vehicle until the applicant is licensed as an EMS agency
					 and it affixes the decals to the EMS vehicle.
(b)
Permanent change.
Before
					 operating an additional or permanent replacement EMS vehicle, an EMS agency
					 shall submit an application for amendment of its license to the regional EMS
					 council through which its license application was processed. The EMS agency may
					 not operate that vehicle as an EMS vehicle unless, as described in subsection
					 (a), it is authorized to do so following an inspection of the vehicle and it
					 affixes decals to the vehicle.
(c)
Temporary change.
An EMS agency may operate a temporary
					 replacement EMS vehicle without securing prior approval from the Department. It
					 shall submit a temporary change of vehicle form to the regional EMS council
					 through which its license application was processed, by facsimile, e-mail or
					 regular mail before putting the EMS vehicle in service. In the form the EMS
					 agency shall attest to the fact that the EMS vehicle satisfies the requirements
					 for that type of EMS vehicle that are imposed by regulation and notices
					 published in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin
. Upon submitting a
					 temporary change of vehicle form, the EMS agency may continue to operate the
					 temporary replacement EMS vehicle unless its authority to do so is disapproved
					 by the inspector following an inspection of the EMS vehicle. Upon receiving a
					 temporary change in vehicle form, the regional EMS council shall issue a letter
					 which acknowledges receipt of the temporary change of vehicle form and
					 authorizes the EMS agency to operate the replacement EMS vehicle for 7 days
					 based upon its attestation that the vehicle satisfies all requirements. That
					 time period may be extended by the regional EMS council by letter.
(d)
Triennial inspections.
A
					 Department or regional EMS council inspector will inspect an EMS agency's EMS
					 vehicles when the inspector conducts the inspection of the EMS agency for the
					 triennial registration of the EMS agency's license. If an EMS vehicle satisfies
					 all requirements the inspector will affix a new date stripe to each decal to
					 reflect that the vehicle has satisfied EMS vehicle inspection requirements. If
					 the vehicle does not satisfy the requirements, the inspector will not affix a
					 new date stripe to each decal and the EMS agency may not operate the vehicle as
					 an EMS vehicle unless and until the vehicle is reinspected, satisfies all
					 requirements, and the inspector affixes a new date stripe on each
					 decal.
(e)
Removal of
					 decals.
A Department or regional EMS council inspector will require
					 the EMS agency to remove the decals from an EMS vehicle when directed by the
					 Department under §
											1027.8(b)
					 (relating to removal of EMS vehicles from operation). An EMS agency shall
					 remove the decals from an EMS vehicle when the EMS agency transfers the title
					 or operation of the EMS vehicle to another entity, other than to enable another
					 EMS agency to operate the EMS vehicle as a temporary replacement vehicle under
					 subsection (c), or when it discontinues use of the vehicle as an EMS
					 vehicle.
(f)
Ambulance
					 requirements.
An ambulance must meet the following minimum
					 requirements:
(1) It must have a patient care
					 compartment that is designed to carry at least one patient on a stretcher that
					 is securely mounted to the ambulance and that enables transportation in both
					 the supine and seated upright positions.
(2) It must have a patient care compartment
					 that is designed to provide sufficient access to a patient's body to perform
					 and maintain ALS skills, including adequate space for one caregiver to sit
					 superior to the patient's head to perform required ALS airway skills, and other
					 EMS required by the Statewide EMS protocols.
(3) It must have a design that does not
					 compromise patient safety during loading, unloading or patient transport. It
					 must be equipped with a door that will allow loading and unloading of the
					 patient without excessive maneuvering.
(4) It must be equipped with permanently
					 installed climate control equipment to provide an environment appropriate for
					 the medical needs of a patient.
(5)
					 It must have interior lighting adequate to enable medical care to be provided
					 and patient status monitored without interfering with the vehicle operator's
					 vision.
(6) It must be designed for
					 patient safety so that the patient is isolated from the operator's compartment
					 in a manner that minimizes distractions to the vehicle operator during patient
					 transport and prevents interference with the operator's manipulation of vehicle
					 controls.
(7) It must be equipped
					 with appropriate patient restraints and with restraints in every seating
					 position within the patient compartment.
(8) An ALS ambulance used for critical care
					 transports and an air ambulance must be equipped with 110 V electrical output
					 with a minimum of four appropriate outlets within the patient compartment with
					 the ability to operate the vehicle while operating medical equipment using all
					 outlets simultaneously.
(9) It must
					 have enough space to accommodate the loading, unloading and transport of an
					 infant isolette and permit sufficient access to the infant's entire body to
					 begin and maintain ALS and other treatment modalities within the
					 isolette.
(10) It must be equipped
					 with two-way radios capable of communication with medical command facilities,
					 receiving facility communications centers, PSAPs and ambulances for the purpose
					 of communicating medical information and assuring the continuity of resources
					 for patient care needs.
(11) It
					 must carry an oxygen supply that is capable of providing high flow oxygen at
					 more than 25 liters per minute to a patient for the anticipated duration of
					 patient transport.