It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the development, accessibility, and provision of emergency medical services to the people of the State of California.

Further, it is the policy of the State of California that people shall be encouraged and trained to assist others at the scene of a medical emergency. Local governments, agencies, and other organizations shall be encouraged to offer training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and lifesaving first aid techniques so that people may be adequately trained, prepared, and encouraged to assist others immediately.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this chapter shall govern the provisions of this division.

“Advanced life support” means special services designed to provide definitive prehospital emergency medical care, including, but not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, advanced airway management, intravenous therapy, administration of specified drugs and other medicinal preparations, and other specified techniques and procedures administered by authorized personnel under the direct supervision of a base hospital as part of a local EMS system at the scene of an emergency, during transport to an acute care hospital, during interfacility transfer, and while in the emergency department of an acute care hospital until responsibility is assumed by the emergency or other medical staff of that hospital.

“Alternative base station” means a facility or service operated and directly supervised by, or directly supervised by, a physician and surgeon who is trained and qualified to issue advice and instructions to prehospital emergency medical care personnel, which has been approved by the medical director of the local EMS agency to provide medical direction to advanced life support or limited advanced life support personnel responding to a medical emergency as part of the local EMS system, when no qualified hospital is available to provide that medical direction.

“Authority” means the Emergency Medical Services Authority established by this division.

“Authorized registered nurse,” “mobile intensive care nurse,” or “MICN” means a registered nurse who is functioning pursuant to Section 2725 of the Business and Professions Code and who has been authorized by the medical director of the local EMS agency as qualified to provide prehospital advanced life support or to issue instructions to prehospital emergency medical care personnel within an EMS system according to standardized procedures developed by the local EMS agency consistent with statewide guidelines established by the authority. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to abridge or restrict the duties or functions of a registered nurse or mobile intensive care nurse as otherwise provided by law.

“Base hospital” means one of a limited number of hospitals which, upon designation by the local EMS agency and upon the completion of a written contractual agreement with the local EMS agency, is responsible for directing the advanced life support system or limited advanced life support system and prehospital care system assigned to it by the local EMS agency.

“Base hospital physician” or “BHP” means a physician and surgeon who is currently licensed in California, who is assigned to the emergency department of a base hospital, and who has been trained to issue advice and instructions to prehospital emergency medical care personnel consistent with statewide guidelines established by the authority. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to abridge or restrict the duties or functions of a physician and surgeon as otherwise provided by law.

“Basic life support” means emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures which, as a minimum, include recognizing respiratory and cardiac arrest and starting the proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain life without invasive techniques until the victim may be transported or until advanced life support is available.

“Certifying entity” means a public safety agency or the office of the State Fire Marshal if the agency has a training program for EMT-I personnel that is approved pursuant to the standards developed pursuant to Section 1797.109, or the medical director of a local EMS agency.

“Certifying examination” or “examination for certification” means an examination designated by the authority for a specific level of prehospital emergency medical care personnel that must be satisfactorily passed prior to certification or recertification at the specific level and may include any examination or examinations designated by the authority, including, but not limited to, any of the following options determined appropriate by the authority:

“Commission” means the Commission on Emergency Medical Services created pursuant to the provisions of Section 1799.

“Competency based curriculum” means a curriculum in which specific objectives are defined for each of the separate skills taught in training programs with integrated didactic and practical instruction and successful completion of an examination demonstrating mastery of every skill.

“Designated facility” means a hospital which has been designated by a local EMS agency to perform specified emergency medical services systems functions pursuant to guidelines established by the authority.

“Director” means the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.

“Emergency” means a condition or situation in which an individual has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the potential for such need is perceived by emergency medical personnel or a public safety agency.

“Emergency medical services” means the services utilized in responding to a medical emergency.

“Emergency medical services area” or “EMS area” means the geographical area within the jurisdiction of the designated local EMS agency.

“Emergency medical services plan” means a plan for the delivery of emergency medical services consistent with state guidelines addressing the components listed in Section 1797.103.

“Emergency medical services system” or “system” means a specially organized arrangement which provides for the personnel, facilities, and equipment for the effective and coordinated delivery in an EMS area of medical care services under emergency conditions.

“Emergency Medical Technician-I” or “EMT-I” means an individual trained in all facets of basic life support according to standards prescribed by this part and who has a valid certificate issued pursuant to this part. This definition shall include, but not be limited to, EMT-I (FS) and EMT-I-A.

“Emergency Medical Technician-II,” “EMT-II,” “Advanced Emergency Medical Technician,” or “Advanced EMT” means an EMT-I with additional training in limited advanced life support according to standards prescribed by this part and who has a valid certificate issued pursuant to this part.

“Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic,” “EMT-P,” “paramedic” or “mobile intensive care paramedic” means an individual whose scope of practice to provide advanced life support is according to standards prescribed by this division and who has a valid certificate issued pursuant to this division.

“Exclusive operating area” means an EMS area or subarea defined by the emergency medical services plan for which a local EMS agency, upon the recommendation of a county, restricts operations to one or more emergency ambulance services or providers of limited advanced life support or advanced life support.

“Health systems agency” means a health systems agency as defined in subsection (a) of Section 300(

“Hospital” means an acute care hospital licensed under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2, with a permit for basic emergency service or an out-of-state acute care hospital which substantially meets the requirements of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2, as determined by the local EMS agency which is utilizing the hospital in the emergency medical services system, and is licensed in the state in which it is located.

“Medical control” means the medical management of the emergency medical services system pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1798).

“Limited advanced life support” means special service designed to provide prehospital emergency medical care limited to techniques and procedures that exceed basic life support but are less than advanced life support and are those procedures specified pursuant to Section 1797.171.

“Local EMS agency” means the agency, department, or office having primary responsibility for administration of emergency medical services in a county and which is designated pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1797.200).

“Mobile stroke unit” means a multijurisdictional mobile facility that serves as an emergency response critical care ambulance under the direction and approval of a local emergency medical services (EMS) agency, and as a diagnostic, evaluation, and treatment unit, providing radiographic imaging, laboratory testing, and medical treatment under the supervision of a physician in person or by telehealth, for patients with symptoms of a stroke, to the extent consistent with any federal definition of a mobile stroke unit as set forth in Section 1395m of Title 42 of the United States Code, Section 410.78 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations,

and any other federal law.

“Poison control center” or “PCC” means a hospital-based facility or other facility which, as a minimum, provides information and advice regarding the management of individuals who have or may have ingested or otherwise been exposed to poisonous or possibly toxic substances, and which has been designated by the Emergency Medical Services Authority according to the standards prescribed by this division.