Title 68, Health, Safety and Environmental Protection

(a) Notwithstanding department of health rule 1200-12-1.02(3)(a)-(f), or any other provision of law to the contrary, any municipality, located within any county having a population of more than eight hundred thousand (800,000), according to the 2000 federal census or any subseque…

(a) In order to be certified by the board pursuant to § 68-140-304(10), the training program offered by the paramedic training center must follow the United States department of transportation paramedic national standard curriculum. In addition, only paid career members of a fire…

(a) The department shall recognize hospitals that meet the criteria of a ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) receiving center or STEMI referring center. Such recognition is limited to inclusion on a list, maintained by the department, of STEMI receiving centers and STEMI r…

(a) The emergency medical services board shall promulgate rules establishing protocol guidelines for evidence-based pre-hospital assessment, treatment, education, and transport of stroke patients by emergency medical providers. (b) Based on the protocol guidelines established by …

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Licensing” means the procedure through which the privilege to engage in a profession regulated under this part is granted by the board;(2) “Licensure fee” means a fee imposed by the board on persons licensed to practice a profession for the privil…

(a) The board may authorize a total of thirty (30) EMT/AEMT training centers operated by ambulance services licensed in this state. (b) In order to be certified by the board pursuant to § 68-140-304(13), a training program offered by an EMT/AEMT training center must follow the Na…

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person who is licensed, registered, or certificated to provide emergency medical services in this state and who is required by statute or rule to keep proof of their license, registration, or certification on their person may satisfy tha…

(a) An EMS-A may be utilized by a licensed ambulance service if the EMS-A:(1) Satisfies all necessary pre-employment background screening, including a criminal background check and sex offender registry check;(2) Is accompanied with at least one (1) EMT while responding to a requ…

(a) An EMR may be utilized by a licensed ambulance service if the EMR:(1) Satisfies all necessary pre-employment background screening to include criminal background and sex offender registry;(2) Is accompanied with at least one (1) EMT while responding to a request for emergency …

(a) A licensed Tennessee ambulance service with full-time employed emergency medical services personnel who successfully complete in each year an in-service training course, appropriate to the emergency medical services personnel's rank and responsibility, of at least forty (40) …

(a) As used in this section, “canine first responder” means a dog:(1) With specialized training, or in the process of receiving specialized training, for police, military, or patrol work; detection work; or search-and-rescue; and(2) Being used by and under the control of a federa…

(a) A paramedic who intends to determine and pronounce death shall, before doing so, complete a course of instruction in determining and pronouncing death. (b) A paramedic who determines and pronounces death shall retain proof of successful completion of the course required by su…

It is the intent of the general assembly that an automated external defibrillator (AED) may be used in accordance with § 68-140-403 for the purpose of saving the life of another person in cardiac arrest.

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “AED” or “defibrillator” means an automated external defibrillator; and(2) “Automated external defibrillator (AED)” means a medical device heart monitor and defibrillator that:(A) Has received approval of its pre…

(1) In order to ensure public health and safety:(1) A person or entity that acquires an automated external defibrillator (AED) shall ensure that:(A) Expected defibrillator users receive American Heart Association CPR and AED or an equivalent nationally recognized course in defibr…

(1) In order for an entity to use or allow the use of an automated external defibrillator, the entity shall:(1) Establish a program for the use of an AED that includes a written plan that complies with subdivisions (2)-(6) and rules adopted by the department of health. The plan m…

(1) The department of health shall adopt rules specifying the following:(1) The contents of the written notice required by § 68-140-404;(2) Reporting requirements for each use of an AED;(3) The contents of a plan prepared in accordance with § 68-140-404 and requirements applicabl…

The entity responsible for the AED program shall not be civilly liable for any personal injury that results from an act or omission related to the use or maintenance of the AED that does not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence.

An individual providing training to others in an approved program on the use of an AED shall be held harmless by the employer of the trainer for damages caused by training that was negligent.

For purposes of §§ 68-140-402 and 68-140-404 — 68-140-409, expected AED users shall complete training and demonstrate competence in CPR and the use of an AED through a course of instruction approved by the Tennessee emergency medical services board.

Sections 68-140-402 and 68-140-404 — 68-140-409 shall only apply to situations involving emergency use of an AED and in no case shall it apply where there is a duty to provide care. Nor shall it apply where a doctor has prescribed use of an AED for a patient's use in the patient'…

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Authorized entity” means an entity or organization at which allergens capable of causing anaphylaxis may be present, including, but not limited to, a recreation camp, college, university, place of worship, youth…

(a) A health care prescriber may prescribe epinephrine auto-injectors in the name of an authorized entity for use in accordance with this part, and pharmacists and health care prescribers may dispense epinephrine auto-injectors pursuant to a prescription issued in the name of an …

This part shall be known and may be cited as the “Recognition of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact Act” or “REPLICA.”

Section 1. Purpose. Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of this compact is to protect the public through verification of competency and ensure accountability for patient care related activities of all states' licensed emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, such as emergency medi…

(1) As used in this part:(1) “Emergency Management Assistance Compact” or “EMAC” means the national interstate mutual aid agreement adopted by all fifty (50) states, the District of Columbia, the United States Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and ratified by the 104th United States Co…

This part takes precedence over any law in conflict with this part.

This part is known and may be cited as the “Rescue Squad Recognition Act.”

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires, “rescue squad”:(1) Means:(A) A department of a municipality, county, or political subdivision, or a nonprofit organization that offers its services, for or without pay, for the purpose of performing rescue services,…

(a) A municipality, county, or political subdivision shall not operate a rescue squad, and a nonprofit organization shall not operate as a rescue squad, unless the rescue squad has been duly recognized and authorized to perform rescue services pursuant to this part by the state f…

(a) To obtain recognition from the state fire marshal's office, a municipality, county, or political subdivision wanting to operate a rescue squad, or a nonprofit organization wanting to operate as a rescue squad, shall file an application with the state fire marshal's office, an…

(a) A new rescue squad must not be established or recognized without the approval of the local elected governing body in which jurisdiction the rescue squad will operate. This approval must include the geographical territory to be covered by the new rescue squad. (b) A government…

Notwithstanding §§ 68-140-703 and 68-140-705, if any department within a municipality, county, or political subdivision, as well as any nonprofit organization, decides not to function as a rescue squad as defined in § 68-140-702, then such department or nonprofit organization sha…

(a) The state fire marshal may refuse to issue or renew and revoke or suspend any application for or renewal of a certificate of recognition if the:(1) Rescue squad has violated:(A) This part;(B) Any rule duly promulgated by the state fire marshal; or(C) Any other state or federa…

(1) Within thirty (30) days of an emergency in which a rescue squad responds, the rescue squad shall complete all necessary reports, documentation, and filing of the emergency to at least one (1) of the following:(1) The Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads general reporting sy…

(a) (1) A rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active before July 1, 2026, may submit an application as described in § 68-140-704 to operate under an exemption if the rescue squad does not currently meet the definition of a rescue squad as defi…

A violation of this part is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine only of fifty dollars ($50.00).

(1) The department of health is authorized to establish and maintain a system of poison control centers in Tennessee that:(1) Serves public and health care professionals in urban and rural areas;(2) Designates regions within the network; and(3) Designates regional poison control …

(1) The commissioner of health may consider the following criteria in designating regional control centers:(1) Compliance or expected compliance with the state poison control standards;(2) Location in relation to the geographical distribution of persons served;(3) Whether the fac…

(a) No person or persons, business, agency, organization or other entity, whether public or private, may hold itself out as providing a poison advice service or use the term “poison control center,” “poison center,” or any other term that implies that it is qualified to provide a…

(1) The commissioner of health may establish minimum standards for designation as a regional control center. Such standards may require regional poison control centers to do all of the following:(1) Answer requests by telephone for poison information and make recommendations for …

A regional poison control center may provide the services described in § 68-141-104, either directly or through contract with other facilities or agencies. Appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure the confidentiality of information about individuals to whom treatment for poi…

The commissioner of health may appoint the members of the Tennessee poison control network advisory committee, which is created to advise the department on matters pertaining to the designation, standards and coordination of regional poison control centers participating in the Te…

No act done or omitted in good faith while performing duties as a medical director, consultant, or specialist in poison information of a regional poison control center shall impose any liability on the poison control center, its officers, volunteers, medical directors, consultant…

The commissioner of health may annually report to the general assembly findings and recommendations concerning the experience and benefits of the Tennessee poison control network.

This part shall be known as and may be cited as the “Child Fatality Review and Prevention Act of 1995.”