To amend section 4764.43 and to enact section 4765.431 of the Revised Code to modify the staffing requirements for ambulances during emergency runs and while transporting patients.

Section 1. That section 4765.43 be amended and section 4765.431 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 4765.43.  (A) A person who drives an ambulance that is equipped for emergency medical services, is not required by this chapter to be certified as an emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic.

(B)(1) During each emergency run made by an ambulance that is equipped for emergency medical services and is operated by an emergency medical service organization that does not utilize any volunteer emergency medical service providers or does not substantially utilize those providers, the ambulance shall be staffed by at least two EMTs-basic, EMTs-I, or paramedics. At any time a patient is being transported in When an ambulance is so staffed, it may be driven by a person who is not certified as an EMT-basic, EMT-I, or paramedic.

(2) During each emergency run made by an ambulance that is equipped for emergency medical services and is operated by an emergency medical service organization that substantially utilizes volunteer emergency medical service providers, the ambulance shall be staffed by at least two EMTs-basic, EMTs-I, or paramedics one first responder and one EMT-basic, EMT-I, or paramedic. At all other times during an emergency run, the ambulance shall be staffed by at least one EMT-basic, EMT-I, or paramedic. When an ambulance is so staffed, it may be driven by a person who is not certified as an a first responder, EMT-basic, EMT-I, or paramedic. If circumstances so require, an ambulance that is staffed by only one first responder and one EMT-basic, EMT-I, or paramedic may be driven by the first responder who is staffing the ambulance with the EMT-basic, EMT-I, or paramedic.

(C) For purposes of division (B) of this section, an emergency medical service organization substantially utilizes volunteer emergency medical service providers if the organization uses only volunteer first responders, volunteer EMTs-basic, volunteer EMTs-I, or volunteer paramedics, or a combination of such volunteers, for fifty per cent or more of the time during any seven-day period in which the organization makes emergency medical services available to the public.

Sec. 4765.431. No emergency medical service organization shall permit an individual who is younger than eighteen years of age to drive an ambulance.

Section 2. That existing section 4765.43 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.