Important Message from Kyle Thornton, EMS Bureau Chief
I wanted to get you the “new” DOT rules that are applicable to the DOT regulation of ambulances. A DOT manager advised me on which rules were ambulance related. I have attached a PDF for your convenience. The rules that Fidel discussed in the SWAC meeting that apply to ambulance regulation are Title 18 (Transportation and Highways); Chapter 3 (Motor Carrier General Provisions), Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 14. Fourteen is the specific “ambulance rule” we are used to, but several requirements found in the other rules were causing the most concern.
We were contacted today by an ambulance service supervisor who was inspected today by DOT. She was told that today she passed, but she has one year to get the criminal background checks and the drug tests, or the service will not pass the next inspection in a year. The inspector told the ambulance supervisor to contact the EMS Bureau for the criminal background checks. To be clear, we cannot do “national” criminal background checks for anyone unless they are applying for full licensure. Second, we cannot release results to anyone. Lastly, we don’t maintain records of past criminal background checks – we have access to the results for 30 days, and then they are removed from our access. If we print out a result, we have to justify that to the DPS/FBI folks. Thus, as a matter of practice, we don’t print out results.
If I remember correctly, there were four main concerns so far:
* 21 y/o age minimum for driver
* National Criminal Background check for every employee/member of agency, negating the past policy of accepting the confirmation of completion of EMS Bureau background checks as meeting that requirement.
* Drug Testing policy
* Unnecessary redundancy in requiring a second, DOT specific, paper based service report each year.
I believe that the Director, Alecia Ortiz will be very good to work with, and I believe she will listen to concerns.
Let me know ideas you have on how the SWAC would like to proceed.
Thank you,
Kyle L. Thornton, EMT-P, M.S.
EMS Bureau Chief
NM DOH ERD
These are two links to these rules/regs; the first is to the NMOneSource site, and the second is the DOT website.
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THE NEW MEXICO EMT ASSOCIATION (NMEMTA) IS A NON-PROFIT, ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND OTHERS SERVING THE PUBLIC IN THE EMERGENCY SERVICES SECTOR. OUR CHARTER PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PERSONS INVOLVED IN PUBLIC SECTOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE BY DIRECT GRANTS, THROUGH CONFERENCES AND BY PROVIDING CONTINUING EDUCATION RESOURCES
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