EMSOF must be used for improvements in the Bureau of Emergency Medical

EMSOF must be used for improvements in the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services regulated Emergency Medical Services and may not be used for operating expenses. All EMSOF funds must be expended or escrowed by the end of the local fiscal year in which the EMSOF funds were disbursed to the governmental unit. “Escrow” is defined as depositing the funds in an interest- bearing account in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. §27-105-1, et seq. and applicable state fiscal and financial control regulations, said funds to be used only in accordance with the provisions of the EMSOF grant. No funds granted hereunder may be escrowed for more than three (3) years. All expenditures of funds from an EMSOF grant must be done in accordance with Mississippi purchasing and property accounting laws, rules, and regulations. A detailed justification for all EMSOF expenditures or funds escrowed, indicating their compliance with purchasing laws and regulations, as well as how they will improve local emergency medical services, must be provided. 1. EMSOF must be expended to the direct benefit of a Mississippi Licensed Ambulance Service (as described in Chapter 59 of the Mississippi Code Ann.). These funds may not be used in support of “EMS Support Services” including, but not limited to, the following 2. local or county fire service rescue operations, and 3. local or county first responders other than training, medical supplies, or medical equipment to be used for direct patient care. 4. Additionally, EMSOF may not be used for hospital equipment or supplies. If a licensed ambulance service is hospital-based, EMSOF funds can only be used for items that are to the direct benefit of the hospital-based licensed ambulance service. The director of the hospital-based licensed ambulance service must indicate by memorandum or letter of support that the request will provide direct benefit to the hospital-based licensed ambulance service.