EMS AGENCY

Licensure Levels

A person, or other entity, as an owner, agent or otherwise, may not operate, conduct, maintain, advertise or otherwise engage in or profess to be engaged in operating an EMS agency in Pennsylvania until a license is issued by the Bureau of EMS as an EMS Agency.  Tri-Annual reregistration is required of this license along with continued compliance of regulations contained within Act 87 and the Pennsylvania EMS Rules and Regulations.  All EMS Agencies are required to submit an updated electronic EMS Agency application no less than 120 days prior to the expiration of their current EMS Agency license.  The current EMS Agency license is located within the Pennsylvania EMS Registry system.  Pennsylvania recognizes many different levels of licensure that provide Emergency Medical Care within the Commonwealth.

Modification of Fleet Permanent Change

A licensed EMS Agency may not operate or deploy an additional or permanent replacement EMS Vehicle without first completing an amended EMS Agency application and the vehicle successfully passes an on-site inspection completed by a staff member from the Regional Office. 

An EMS Agency must complete and submit an updated EMS Agency Application before the on-site inspection can be scheduled by the Regional EMS Office.  The application is located within the EMS Registry System. 

The Bureau of EMS is not involved with the process to obtain emergency vehicle (EV) license plates from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDot).  The Bureau will only provide verification to PennDot whether the applicant holds a valid PA EMS Agency license.  An EMS Agency may have a vehicle inspected with any authorized and registered license plate (truck, municipal, or EV).  The EMS Agency vehicle inspection process will not be delayed while an agency is waiting to receive an EV plate.  After the EV plate has been received, the agency will then need to file an amendment to their license to update the vehicle plate number(s).

All Department of Health Bureau of EMS Licensure decals must be removed from all EMS Vehicles that have been removed from the Agency Licensure application.

Temporary Vehicle Change

An EMS Agency may operate a temporary replacement vehicle for a period of seven days by submitting the Temporary Vehicle Change form below.  All Temporary EMS Vehicles must comply with the Minimum Equipment List, published annually by the Bureau of EMS in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.  If a temporary vehicle is required for a period of longer than seven day, the Regional Office must complete an on-site inspection of the vehicle and my disapprove the use if deficiencies are noted.

Accident and Injury Reporting

EMS Agencies are required to report an EMS vehicle accident that is reportable under 75 Pa.C.S. and an accident or injury to an individual that occurs in the line of duty that results in a fatality or medical treatment by a licensed health care practitioner.  This report is required to be made within 24 hours after the accident or injury.  The report of a fatality shall be made within eight hours after the fatality.

Minimum Equipment Checklists

The Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of EMS publishes on an annual basis the vehicle construction and equipment and supply requirements for EMS agencies based upon the type of services they provide and the EMS vehicles they operate.  Required equipment and supplies shall be carried and readily available in working order at all times while the vehicle is available for service.

Quick Response Service (QRS)

A QRS is a non-transporting level of EMS. An EMS agency operating a QRS uses EMS providers to respond to calls for EMS and provide EMS to patients before an ambulance arrives. A QRS is not required to have a vehicle when responding to a call. The minimum staffing for a QRS is one EMS provider.

Basic Life Support Ambulance Service (BLS Ambulance)

A BLS Ambulance can transport patients. An EMS agency operating a BLS Ambulance employs one or more BLS ambulances staffed by an ambulance crew capable of providing medical assessment, observation, triage, monitoring, treatment, and transportation of patients who require EMS at or below the skill level of an EMT. The minimum staffing for a BLS ambulance crew when transporting a patient is an EMS provider at or above the EMR level, a second EMS provider at or above the EMT level, and an EMSVO. However, a two-person ambulance crew is permitted if the EMSVO is also one of the EMS providers and an EMS provider above the EMR level is available to attend to the patient during patient transport.

Basic Life Support Squad Service (BLS Squad)

A BLS Squad is a non-transporting level of EMS. An EMS agency operating a BLS Squad transports EMS providers, along with basic EMS equipment and supplies, to rendezvous with an ambulance crew or to respond prior to the arrival of an ambulance, to provide EMS at or below the AEMT level of care. A BLS squad vehicle may not transport patients. The minimum staffing for a BLS squad vehicle crew when responding to a call to provide EMS is an EMS provider at or above the EMT level and an EMSVO. However, only one person is required if the EMSVO is also the EMS provider.

Intermediate Advanced Life Support Ambulance Service (IALS Ambulance)

An IALS Ambulance can transport patients. An EMS agency operating an IALS Ambulance operates one or more IALS ambulances staffed by an ambulance crew capable of providing medical assessment, observation, triage, monitoring, treatment, and transportation of patients who require EMS at the AEMT level. The minimum staffing for an IALS ambulance crew when transporting a patient who requires EMS at the skill level of an AEMT is an EMS provider at or above the AEMT level, a second EMS provider at or above the EMR level, and an EMSVO. However, a two-person ambulance crew is permitted if the EMSVO is also one of the EMS providers and an EMS provider at or above the AEMT level is available to attend to the patient during patient transport.

Intermediate Advanced Life Support Squad Service (IALS Squad)

An IALS Squad is a non-transporting level of EMS. An EMS agency operating an IALS Squad transports EMS providers at the AEMT level, along with EMS equipment and supplies, to rendezvous with an ambulance crew or to respond prior to the arrival of an ambulance, to provide medical assessment, monitoring, treatment, and observation of a patient who requires advanced EMS. An IALS squad vehicle may not transport patients. The minimum staffing for an IALS squad vehicle crew when responding to a call to provide EMS is an EMS provider at or above the AEMT level and an EMSVO. However, only one person is required if the EMSVO is also the EMS provider.

Advanced Life Support Ambulance Service (ALS Ambulance)

An ALS Ambulance can transport patients. An EMS agency operating an ALS Ambulance operates one or more ALS ambulances staffed by an ambulance crew capable of providing medical assessment, observation, triage, monitoring, treatment, and transportation of patients who require EMS at a skill level above the AEMT. The minimum staffing for an ALS ambulance crew when transporting a patient who requires EMS at the skill level above an AEMT is an EMS provider at or above the EMT level, a second EMS provider above the AEMT level, and an EMSVO. However, a two-person ambulance crew is permitted if the EMSVO is also one of the EMS providers and an EMS provider above the AEMT level is available to attend to the patient during patient transport.

Advanced Life Support Squad Service (ALS Squad)

An ALS Squad is a non-transporting level of EMS. An EMS agency operating an ALS Squad transports EMS providers above the AEMT level, along with EMS equipment and supplies, to rendezvous with an ambulance crew or to respond prior to the arrival of an ambulance, to provide medical assessment, monitoring, treatment, and observation of a patient who requires EMS at or above the skill level of an AEMT. An ALS squad vehicle may not transport patients. The minimum staffing for an ALS squad vehicle crew when responding to a call to provide EMS is an EMS provider above the AEMT level and an EMSVO. However, only one person is required if the EMSVO is also the EMS provider.

Critical Care Transport Ambulance Service (CCT)

A critical care transport ambulance service (CCT) can transport patients. An EMS agency operating a CCT operates a critical care transport ambulance service employs one or more CCT  ambulances staffed by a crew capable of providing medical assessment, observation, triage, monitoring, treatment, and transportation of patients who require EMS at the skill level needed to attend to and transport critically ill or injured patients between receiving facilities. The minimum staffing for a CCT crew when transporting a patient is an EMSVO and two EMS providers above the AEMT level, with at least one of the EMS providers being a Paramedic, PHRN, PHPE, or PHP who has successfully completed a critical care transport educational program approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of EMS.

Air Ambulance Service

An air ambulance service can transport patients. An EMS agency operating an air ambulance service operates an air ambulance service employs one or more air ambulances staffed by a crew capable of providing medical assessment, observation, triage, monitoring, treatment, and transportation of patients who require EMS. The minimum staffing for an air ambulance crew when responding to a call to transport a patient by air ambulance is a pilot and two EMS providers above the AEMT level, with at least one of the EMS providers being a Paramedic, PHRN, PHPE, or PHP who has successfully completed an air ambulance transport educational program approved by the Department.

Discontinuation or Movement of Operations

An EMS agency shall give at least 90 days advance notice to each regional EMS council, PSAP, and chief executive officer of a political subdivision within its service area, as well as the chief executive officer of each political subdivision outside of its service area that relies upon it for service before it discontinues its operations or providing an EMS service out of any location at which it is licensed to provide that service or reducing the days or hours it provides the service.  The EMS agency shall also advertise notice of its intent to discontinue operations or a service, or reduce the days or hours it provides the service, in a newspaper of general circulation in its service area at least 90 days in advance.