Wyo. Code R. 048-0023-1
Effective Date: 02/14/1992 to 08/10/1995
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 048.0023.1.02141992
Date Filed 02/14/92 Expr Date Supr Date Repeal Date Document Type RULES
Section 1. Purpose. These rules and regulations promote the health and safety of the people of Wyoming by establishing: minimum standards and procedures relating to ambulances; a system for the licensing of ambulance businesses; the training and certification criteria for emergency medical personnel land ambulance attendants; and providing for penalties.
Section 2. Authority. The statutory authority for these rules is W.S. 33-36-103, and W.S. 16-3-102(a).
Section 3. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of these rules and regulations.
(a) 'Act' means the Wyoming Emergency Medical Services Act, W.S. 33-36-101 through 33-36-113.
(b) 'Affidavit' means a written notarized statement of facts made voluntarily under oath.
(c) 'Ambulance' means:
(i) Any land motor vehicle maintained, operated or advertised for the medical care and transportation of patients upon any street, highway or public way;
(ii) Any land motor vehicle owned and operated on a regular basis by the State of Wyoming or any agency, municipality, city, town, county or political subdivision of Wyoming for medical care and transportation of patients upon any street, highway or public way; and
(iii) Any aircraft which is maintained, operated or advertised for the medical care and transportation of patients in this state.
(iv) This definition does not include any land motor vehicle or aircraft owned and operated by the United States.
(d) 'Ambulance area' means an area within the incorporated boundaries of a city or town.
(e) 'Ambulance service' means any organizational entity utilizing ambulances and providing authorized care to patients by attendants at the scene of an emergency, and the transportation to a destination, and the authorized care during such transportation.
(f) 'Attendant' means an individual affiliated with an ambulance service located in this state who has been certified by the Division to render emergency medical care to patients.
(g) 'Authorization' means discretionary consent given to permit the actions of others.
(h) 'Basic emergency care technician' means an individual who has completed an approved training program in basic emergency care sponsored by the Division, or has Division approved equivalency training. A basic emergency care technician shall not practice as an ambulance attendant in this state.
(i) 'Board' means the Board of Medicine of the State of Wyoming established by W.S. 33-26-102, or as amended.
(j) 'Certificate' means a certificate granted by the Division authorizing an individual to practice as a basic emergency care technician, E.M.T., or E.M.T. (Ambulance), E.M.T.II, or Paramedic attendant in this state.
(k) 'Contestant' means the person against whom the Division is proceeding in a disciplinary proceeding or a person whose request for a contested case has been granted.
(l) 'Contested case' means a proceeding by the Division to deny, revoke, restrict, or suspend a license or certification.
(m) 'Continuing medical education recertification requirements' means Division approved trained criteria that must be verified to the Division as a condition of having a certificate remain current or renewable.
(n) 'Division' means the Department of Health, Preventive Medicine, Emergency Medical Services Office.
(o) 'Emergency Medical Technician', hereinafter referred to as an E.M.T.', means an individual who has successfully completed a Division sponsored or approved training program for E.M.T.'s that has met the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and continues to meet the continuing medical education recertification requirements.
(p) 'Emergency Medical Technician-A', hereinafter referred to as an 'E.M.T. (Ambulance) attendant', means an individual who has successfully completed a Division approved training program for E.M.T.'s, and continues to meet the continuing medical education recertification requirements, and is certified by the Division as an attendant.
(q) 'Emergency Medical Technician-II (Intermediate)', hereinafter referred to as an 'EMT-II attendant', means an individual who has successfully completed a Division approved training program for E.M.T.-II's, and continues to meet the continuing medical education recertification requirements, and is an attendant.
(r) 'Paramedic' means an individual who has successfully completed a Division approved training program for Paramedics that has been developed in accordance with the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Transportation, continues to meet the continuing medical education recertification requirements, and is a Paramedic attendant.
(s) 'Industrial ambulance' means any motor vehicle maintained and operated by an industrial company for the purpose of medical care and transportation of employees who are injured or taken ill and on the company premises.
(t) 'License' means an ambulance business license issued under W.S. 33-36-104, which has not expired or been revoked or suspended.
(u) 'Non-emergency ambulance service' means an ambulance service that does not respond to or advertise that it responds to public medical emergencies, and is limited to transportation from scheduled events, or convalescent transfers. Convalescent transfer, for the purpose of this definition, shall mean the transportation of patients initially classified on the request for service as non-emergent between medical facilities, physician offices, homes or transportation depots.
(v) 'Patient' means a sick, injured, incapacitated or helpless individual who requires medical supervision or monitoring.
(w) "Permit" means the ambulance permit issued by the Division authorizing the use of a specified land motor vehicle or aircraft as an ambulance, if the vehicle meets the criteria established by these rules and regulations.
(x) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation or a group of individuals acting together for a common purpose, including the State of Wyoming or any agency, municipality, city, town, county or political subdivision of the State of Wyoming.
(y) "Physician medical director" means a physician licensed in this state who is responsible for the medical supervision of ambulance services, attendants, and non-ambulance EMT's.
(z) "Search and rescue" means activities carried out by persons recognized by the county sheriff who are organized, trained, and equipped to provide assistance to patients as part of a rescue operation. Search and rescue activities are primarily limited to locating, providing initial treatment, and removing individuals from imminent danger. Search and rescue activities may include the transportation of an individual to a hospital, other than in an ambulance, if in the best medical interests of the patient, and only if no ambulance is readily available.
(aa) "Sponsor hospital" means a Wyoming hospital that has formally agreed to work with any E.M.T.-II or Paramedic program or system in accordance with these rules and regulations.
(bb) "State EMS Advisory Committee" means the seven (7) member, Governor appointed committee established through Executive Order 76-4.
(cc) "Task Force on Medical Training" or "Task Force" means a subcommittee of the State EMS Advisory Committee consisting of Wyoming licensed physicians who act as technical advisors to the Division and the Board on matters relating to EMS training, actions on EMT-II and Paramedic programs for ambulance attendants, and on individuals.
(dd) "Volunteer ambulance service" means an ambulance service operated and staffed by individuals who donate their time and service without any express or implied promise of any remuneration or compensation, who do not receive or require monetary reimbursement from the patient for services rendered.
(a) Any notice by the Division under these rules and regulations shall be in writing by mail to the address of the persons shown in the Division's records. Any disapproval, revocation, suspension, warning, or hearing notice by the Division shall be personally served or by certified mail, return receipt requested.
(b) Any notice to the Division under these rules and regulations shall be in writing to the Division at the following address: Wyoming Department of Health, Preventive Medicine, Hathaway Building, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, Attention: EMS Office.
Section 5. Violations: Penalties. Any person who violates these regulations or aids or abets in the violation of these regulations is guilty of a misdemeanor, as provided by W.S. 3336-113, and upon conviction shall be fined not more than four hundred dollars ($400.00) or imprisoned in the county jail not more than six (6) months, or both. If the Division has reason to believe that any individual is liable for punishment under this section, it may certify the facts to the Attorney General, who shall take appropriate action.
Section 6. Reporting to Medical Board. The Division shall notify the Board if it has reason to believe that a person certified by the Division has engaged in the unauthorized practice of medicine.
Section 7. Enjoining or Restraining Unlawful Acts. Whenever any person has engaged or is about to engage in any acts or practices constituting a violation of these regulations, the Division may take appropriate action, as provided by W.S. 33-36112, and make an application to the appropriate court for an order enjoining those acts, and upon a showing by the Division that the person has engaged or is about to engage in any illegal act, an injunction, restraining order or other appropriate order may be granted by the court without bond.
Section 8. Interpretation. Where the context in which words are used in these rules and regulations indicates that such is the intent, words in the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa. Words in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter genders.
Section 9. Waivers. The Division may waive the enforcement of a training standard and specify a time limit for compliance if it finds that the Wyoming standard enforcement of a particular standard would create an undue hardship on a program and that temporary non-enforcement of that standard would not substantially impair the quality of service being provided.
Section 10. Effective Date. These rules and regulations are effective when duly approved and filed by the Secretary of State.