SPRINGFIELD, IL – Local emergency service providers will be able to better utilize their medics through legislation sponsored by State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), which passed the Illinois Senate on May 22.
“Supporting our local first responders has always been a priority of mine, especially given the fact that so many of our rural communities work their tails off to provide EMS,” Rose said. “This legislation will allow an EMT to ‘practice up’ to their licensed skill level – regardless of what level of an ambulance they are assigned to. Essentially, this legislation enables the medic will be able to practice at their highest level of trained on, in order to save a patient’s life.”
House Bill 2778 will enable an EMS system medical director to sign off on “in-field” service level upgrades. Currently, if an ambulance unit is licensed at the lowest level (basic), and a paramedic is on the unit, then the paramedic must practice “down” to the basic level.
Rose noted that this legislation is a result of series of legislative hearings in 2012, which were held around the state and locally in Maroa and Arthur. The 2013 legislation is supported by many local fire departments in the 51st Senate District and many of those same departments attended the May 1 hearing of the Senate’s Licensed Activities & Pensions Committee.
HB 2778 now moves back to the House of Representatives for concurrence and then onto the Governor’s desk for approval.