Duties and Functions of Regional EMS Councils

Regional EMS Councils shall carry out the following duties and functions: (A) Assist, support and cooperate with the Department in its efforts to carry out the provisions of M.G.L. c. 111C to coordinate, maintain and improve the EMS system; (B) Assist the Department with providing information, education and technical assistance on EMS system planning and coordination to local jurisdictions and EMS services in their region; (C) Cooperate with other Regional EMS Councils, as necessary, to carry out the work of the department; (D) Develop, submit to the Department for its approval, and implement Department-approved point-of-entry plans that are in conformance with the Statewide Treatment Protocols and other relevant regulations, policies, interpretative guidelines and administrative requirements of the Department. Such point-of-entry plans shall reflect and include, as appropriate, Department designations of hospitals for specialty care services, pursuant to 105 CMR 130.000: Hospital Licensure. (E) Assist the Department in assuring quality educational programs for EMS personnel by: (1) Evaluating the quality of educational programs; (2) Serving as a central clearinghouse for available training equipment and supplies including equipment and supplies owned by the Department or purchased with funds obtained from the Department; and (3) Reviewing training programs for EMS personnel for the purpose of making recommendations for approval to the Department. (F) Assist the Department in establishing, coordinating and maintaining communications systems that are compatible with established Department policies and plans; (G) Forward to the Department all information regarding possible violations of 105 CMR 170.000 for investigation and enforcement by the Department. The Department may, in its discretion, request that Regional EMS Councils, under the direction of the Department, assist in certain investigations and enforcement; (H) Develop and maintain up to date a regional EMS plan that is consistent with the state EMS plan pursuant to 105 CMR 170.050. The Regional EMS Council shall submit the plan to the Department for review and approval prior to its implementation. The plan shall consist of the following: (1) the regional service zone plan pursuant to 105 CMR 170.520; (2) Regional plans, in accordance with the applicable Department-approved statewide plans, for the following: (a) point-of-entry; (b) EMS communications; (c) accessing critical care and air ambulance services, and (d) EMS response to mass casualty incidents; (I) Perform the following functions with respect to service zone planning in their regions: (1) Provide planning and technical assistance to local jurisdictions in their region in identifying, coordinating and making optimal use of all available EMS resources within the service zone, and drafting service zone plans; (2) Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 111C, § 10(b), consult with the local jurisdiction(s) comprising each service zone in their region and review and recommend their local service zone plans to the Department, for the Department’s review and approval; and (3) Assist local jurisdictions in updating and keeping current their service zone plans, and reviewing and recommending updated plans to the Department, for the Department’s review and approval. (J) Appoint a Regional Medical Director who is a physician board-certified in emergency medicine, with a subspecialty board-certification in EMS preferred; (K) Prepare and submit annual reports to the Department for its review and evaluation, prior to the commencement of each fiscal year; (L) Prepare and maintain records relating to Regional EMS Councils’ responsibilities pursuant to M.G.L. c. 111C, 105 CMR 170.000 and contracts with the Department, and make such records available to the Department in full for inspection upon request; and (M) Carry out the duties and functions required by the scope of services in Regional EMS Council contracts with the Department.