2016 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
Title 35 - HEALTH AND SAFETY
Chapter 81 - Emergency Medical Services System
Section 8137 - First aid and other services

§ 8137. First aid and other services.

(a) Purpose.--An EMS agency may provide EMS at industrial sites, amusement parks or other locations in need of the service. No ambulance or other EMS vehicle shall be required for this purpose.

(b) Staffing.--The minimum staffing requirement is one EMS provider.

(c) Other requirements.--As assigned by the EMS agency, the EMS provider may provide EMS and other medical safety services up to the level for which the EMS provider has the credentials to provide EMS for the EMS agency.

(c.1) Blood draw services.--A paramedic may provide assistance to law enforcement upon request to perform a legal blood draw on behalf of the agency from persons suspected of violating 75 Pa.C.S. § 1543(b)(1.1) (relating to driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked), 3735 (relating to homicide by vehicle while driving under influence), 3735.1 (relating to aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence), 3802 (relating to driving under influence of alcohol or controlled substance) or 3808(a)(2) (relating to illegally operating a motor vehicle not equipped with ignition interlock). Services provided under this subsection shall be considered to be within the paramedic's scope of practice. An agency vehicle may be utilized to provide the services under this subsection if the agency has implemented policies to ensure that EMS will not be unavailable when an ambulance is needed for a 911 dispatch. An agency may enter into an agreement with law enforcement to provide blood draw services under this subsection. A paramedic performing a legal blood draw service within the paramedic's scope of practice under this section shall maintain the same liability protections provided for under this chapter. It shall be permissible for a court to allow a law enforcement officer who witnessed the blood draw to testify as to the chain of custody in place of the paramedic who drew the blood.

(d) Protocols.--An EMS provider shall follow protocols approved by the department when providing EMS or any other services under this section.

(Nov. 3, 2016, P.L.1094, No.142)

2016 Amendment. Act 142 amended the entire section, effective in 90 days as to the addition of subsec. (c.1) and immediately as to the remainder of the section.

Effective Date. Section 9(1) of Act 37 of 2009 provided that section 8137 shall take effect 180 days after the publication of the notice in section 7. The notice was published October 12, 2013, at 43 Pa.B. 6093.