§2655 — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

Provides federal grants to help rural areas improve emergency medical care and to train firefighters and emergency responders. Emergency medical services here means medical help given outside a hospital during an emergency caused by a patient’s condition or by a natural disaster. It covers work by EMTs, registered nurses, physician assistants, and physicians who do similar emergency work. Grants can go to state EMS offices or associations, state rural health offices, local governments, Indian tribes, ambulance providers, or other public or nonprofit groups the Secretary approves. Applicants must send an application describing their activities and agree to provide non‑Federal matching funds equal to at least 5% of the grant. Grant money must be used in rural areas for things like hiring or keeping paid or volunteer EMS staff; training and certification; firefighter and responder training and related facility or equipment improvements; tech‑based education; buying ambulances, medical gear (like defibrillators), or required protective equipment; and public CPR or first‑aid education. The Secretary will favor applications from groups working together and those focused on hiring/retaining staff and training. Up to $30,000,000 may be appropriated each year for fiscal years 2008 through 2012, and no more than 5% of that yearly amount may be used for administration.

Title 7, §2655

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section:

(1)The term “emergency medical services” means resources used by a public or nonprofit entity to deliver medical care outside of a medical facility under emergency conditions that occur as a result of—

(A)the condition of a patient; or

(B)a natural disaster or related condition.

(2)The term “emergency medical services” includes services (whether compensated or volunteer) delivered by an emergency medical services provider or other provider recognized by the State involved that is licensed or certified by the State as—

(A)an emergency medical technician or the equivalent (as determined by the State);

(B)a registered nurse;

(C)a physician assistant; or

(D)a physician that provides services similar to services provided by such an emergency medical services provider.

(b)The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities—

(1)to enable the entities to provide for improved emergency medical services in rural areas; and

(2)to pay the cost of training firefighters and emergency medical personnel in firefighting, emergency medical practices, and responding to hazardous materials and bioagents in rural areas.

(c)To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall—

(1)be—

(A)a State emergency medical services office;

(B)a State emergency medical services association;

(C)a State office of rural health or an equivalent agency;

(D)a local government entity;

(E)an Indian tribe (as defined in section 5304 of title 25);

(F)a State or local ambulance provider; or

(G)any other public or nonprofit entity determined appropriate by the Secretary; and

(2)prepare and submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, that includes—

(A)a description of the activities to be carried out under the grant; and

(B)an assurance that the applicant will comply with the matching requirement of subsection (f).

(d)An entity shall use amounts received under a grant made under subsection (b) only in a rural area—

(1)to hire or recruit emergency medical service personnel;

(2)to recruit or retain volunteer emergency medical service personnel;

(3)to train emergency medical service personnel in emergency response, injury prevention, safety awareness, or other topics relevant to the delivery of emergency medical services;

(4)to fund training to meet State or Federal certification requirements;

(5)to provide training for firefighters or emergency medical personnel for improvements to the training facility, equipment, curricula, or personnel;

(6)to develop new ways to educate emergency health care providers through the use of technology-enhanced educational methods (such as distance learning);

(7)to acquire emergency medical services vehicles, including ambulances;

(8)to acquire emergency medical services equipment, including cardiac defibrillators;

(9)to acquire personal protective equipment for emergency medical services personnel as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; or

(10)to educate the public concerning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, injury prevention, safety awareness, illness prevention, or other related emergency preparedness topics.

(e)In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to—

(1)applications that reflect a collaborative effort by 2 or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (G) of subsection (c)(1); and

(2)applications submitted by entities that intend to use amounts provided under the grant to fund activities described in any of paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (d).

(f)The Secretary may not make a grant under this section to an entity unless the entity makes available (directly or through contributions from other public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried out under the grant in an amount equal to at least 5 percent of the amount received under the grant.

(g)(1)There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section not more than $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

(2)Not more than 5 percent of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year may be used for administrative expenses incurred in carrying out this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical

Amendments

to this section. The

Amendments

by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Amendments

2008—Pub. L. 110–246, § 6204, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (c) relating to authority to make grants to pay the cost of training firefighters and emergency medical personnel in rural areas, use of funds, and appropriations for fiscal years 2003 through 2006. 2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–171 substituted “2006” for “2007”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 8701 of this title.

§2655 Rural firefighters and emergency medical service assistance program

Summary

Title 7, §2655

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Amendments

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata