Section 22-18-4 Fees of licenses; licensure of emergency medical technicians; ambulances and persons directing and driving ambulances to be licensed.
Section 22-18-4
Fees of licenses; licensure of emergency medical technicians; ambulances and persons directing and driving ambulances to be licensed.
(a) In addition to all other licenses or fees now payable, the Board of Health shall, as prerequisite for issuing a license under the provisions of this article and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, charge a fee of $10.00 for each license valid for a period of 24 months issued to an ambulance driver, emergency medical technician (EMT)-basic, EMT-intermediate or EMT-paramedic, a fee of $25.00 for each license issued to a ground ambulance service operator, and a fee of $25.00 for each license issued to a convalescent service ambulance operator. Licenses in effect on June 29, 1995, shall remain in effect until the expiration date set forth thereon. Each license issued to an ambulance service operator shall be valid for a period not to exceed 12 calendar months. The same fee shall be charged for renewal of a license as is fixed in this subsection for the original license. No additional fee shall be collected when an EMT becomes eligible for reclassification of his or her license to a higher level. All fees collected under this chapter shall be retained in a separate fund by the Board of Health for the purpose of enforcing this chapter and shall be disbursed as other funds of the state are disbursed; provided, that no fee or permit charge authorized under this chapter shall be charged or collected for the issuing of a permit to a volunteer rescue squad, as defined in Section 32-11-1, for providing ambulance service on a gratuitous basis, or any member who volunteers his service, unless licensure is requested by the squad, company or individual, whereupon, with the exception of the issuance of a license for the EMT reclassifications, a fee will be charged. An EMT may hold a dual license as an ambulance driver and an EMT at any level for which he or she is eligible for licensure, and there shall be no license fee imposed other than that imposed for an EMT license.
(b) Any person desiring licensure as an EMT shall complete an approved EMT course, successfully pass the appropriate level licensure examination as determined by the Board of Health, and submit an application to the board. An approved EMT course for any level shall be a course conforming to the curriculum for that level approved by the United States Department of Transportation, or approved by any other federal agency as may, in the future, take jurisdiction over EMT training curriculum development. A curriculum may be required to be supplemented with additional modules if:
(1) The modules are optional modules approved by the United States Department of Transportation, or its successor as specified above, and the optional modules are prescribed by rule by the board pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act.
(2) The modules, though not included in the federally approved curriculum for a particular level of training, have been required in Alabama for emergency medical technician training at that level on or before January 1, 1995.
(3) The modules are necessary to train EMTs in the use of new procedures, devices, techniques, or drugs which may be approved by the board for use by EMTs.
(c) No ground ambulance and no convalescent ambulance shall be operated for ambulance purposes and no individual shall drive, operate, attend or permit same to be operated for the purpose of transporting a patient from any point within the State of Alabama to any other point within the State of Alabama unless such ambulance or convalescent ambulance is duly licensed by the Board of Health and unless it shall be under the immediate supervision and direction of a person who is holding a currently valid license as an emergency medical technician or as a physician. The Board of Health may prescribe exceptions to this requirement consistent with the interests of public health. Any ground ambulance or convalescent ambulance shall at all times be driven by a person holding a current, valid license as an ambulance driver.
(Acts 1971, No. 1590, p. 2717, §2; Acts 1995, No. 95-276, p. 488, §1.)