§2655 Rural Firefighters and Emergency Medical Service Assistance Program

Summary

Makes grants to help rural areas improve emergency medical care and to pay for training firefighters and emergency medical workers to handle fires, medical emergencies, hazardous materials, and biological threats. Emergency medical services means care given by public or nonprofit groups outside a hospital during a patient emergency or a natural disaster. It covers paid or volunteer providers the State licenses, such as EMTs (or the State’s equivalent), registered nurses, physician assistants, and doctors doing the same work. State EMS offices or associations, state rural health offices, local governments, Indian tribes, ambulance providers, and other public or nonprofit groups the federal official approves can apply. Applicants must describe their plans and agree to provide at least 5% of the grant amount from non‑Federal sources. Grant money must be used only in rural areas for things like hiring or keeping EMS staff and volunteers; training and certification; improving training facilities, equipment, or curricula; distance learning; buying ambulances, equipment (for example, defibrillators), and OSHA‑required protective gear; and public CPR, first‑aid, or preparedness education. Applications that are collaborative or focus on hiring and training get preference. Up to $30,000,000 may be appropriated each year for fiscal years 2008 through 2012, and no more than 5% of those funds may pay administrative costs.