03/19/1998 03:33 PM Senate STA

                                                                               
           SB 338 - TUITION WAIVER FOR EMT WIDOW/CHILD                         
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN brought SB 338 before the committee as the first                
order of business and invited Ms. Howell to present an overview on             
the legislation.                                                               
                                                                               
RENEE HOWELL, staff to Senator Green, read the following statement             
into the record.                                                               
                                                                               
"Currently the state of Alaska grants tuition waivers to state-                
supported educational facilities for the families of members of the            
armed services killed in the line of duty.  Senate Bill 338                    
provides this tribute to families of emergency medical service                 
providers that are killed in the line of duty by establishing a                
tuition waiver for the spouse and child to obtain an undergraduate             
degree from a state-supported Alaskan educational institution.                 
                                                                               
"The reality of being placed in harm's way is part of the delivery             
of emergency medical services.  EMS providers are in no less danger            
than their counterparts in the police and fire departments.  They              
get shot, stabbed and assaulted.  It is difficult to appreciate the            
danger associated with pulling an injured victim from flooding                 
rivers, steep hillsides, and crushed motor vehicles.  Although they            
may not be in the public eye as often, there is an EMS provider                
responding to every assault with injuries, every domestic violence             
case with injuries, every psychological emergency, every involved              
fire, every motor vehicle accident with injuries, every terrorist              
event and every hazardous materials spill with potential injuries.             
                                                                               
"In Alaska there are over 130 EMS calls per day equaling almost                
50,000 per year.  Although the data is not complete, EMS responses             
customarily are three to four times as frequent as responses to                
fires.  This actuality places the EMS provider at risk.  Between               
1985 to current, there have been 10 EMS providers in Alaska who                
died in the line of duty.                                                      
                                                                               
"In Alaska, there are many communities and villages that do not                
have either law enforcement or fire departments.  However, very few            
are without emergency medical services.  In many locations, the EMS            
responder is the only authority figure who regularly responds to               
every form of emergency, including ones that place the life of the             
responder in peril.  The EMS person is the mental health                       
professional and intervenes in all kinds of abuse and suicide                  
situations and often becomes the eyes and ears of law enforcement.             
                                                                               
"EMS personnel provide for the protection and safety of all                    
Alaskans.  They are an integral part of the Public Safety community            
and deserve the same recognition and benefits as police and fire               
personnel."                                                                    
                                                                               
Number 054                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN GREEN asked if all EMS personnel are certified by the                 
Department of Health and Social Services.  MS. HOWELL acknowledged             
that they are, and she noted that paramedics are included under                
this bill as well, however, they are licensed by the State Medical             
Board.                                                                         
                                                                               
Number 085                                                                     
                                                                               
MARK JOHNSON, Chief, Community Health & Emergency Medical Services,            
Department of Health and Social Services, testifying in support of             
SB 338, confirmed that the department certifies EMTs from level I              
up to level III, as well as  ground ambulance services and air                 
medical services, including Medivac and air ambulance services,                
under statute and regulations.  He said the legislation covers                 
those who either work for or volunteer with a state certified                  
emergency medical service, as well as paramedics working for a                 
state certified ambulance service.                                             
                                                                               
Mr. Johnson said emergency medical providers encounter a variety of            
risks from hazardous rescue situations to infectious diseases, and             
the department thinks it appropriate that a tuition waiver be                  
established for the spouse and children of a member of an emergency            
medical service who is killed in the line of duty.                             
                                                                               
Number 110                                                                     
                                                                               
MRS. R.J. NELSON, Fire Chief, Nenana Fire Department, testifying               
via teleconference from Nenana, commended Ms. Howell for her                   
presentation on SB 338 and  voiced her full support for the                    
legislation.                                                                   
                                                                               
Number 116                                                                     
                                                                               
CRAIG LEWIS, Director, Interior Region EMS Council, Fairbanks,                 
testifying via teleconference from Fairbanks, stated that during               
previous testimony on HB 334 (TUITION WAIVER FOR POLICE                        
WIDOW/CHILD) he encouraged the committee to develop this                       
legislation for EMS providers.  He expressed his appreciation to               
Chairman Green and Ms. Howell for doing an excellent job in putting            
the bill together.  He said the legislation properly recognizes EMS            
providers and it puts them in an excellent position to feel                    
equivalent to the other public safety people.                                  
                                                                               
Number 127                                                                     
                                                                               
MS. RONNIE SULLIVAN, Executive Director, Southern Region, EMS                  
Council, Anchorage, said EMS providers are routinely expected to               
respond quickly no matter what the weather is, which often means               
the kind of weather that causes someone else to be hurt badly. She             
voiced strong support for the legislation, which she said is an                
excellent and inexpensive way to say "Thank You" to the many EMS               
volunteers.                                                                    
                                                                               
Number 142                                                                     
                                                                               
STEVE O'CONNOR, Assistant Chief, Central Emergency Services,                   
Soldotna, as well as vice chair of the Alaska Council on Emergency             
Medical Services, testifying from Soldotna, said he also supported             
SB 338 for the same reasons as the previous speakers.  He said the             
legislation goes a long way in recognizing one of the components of            
the community's public safety, and he urged its passage.                       
                                                                               
Number 152                                                                     
                                                                               
TIM EVERSON, Executive Director, Southeast Region, EMS Council,                
Sitka, testifying via teleconference from Sitka in support of SB
, noted he is a volunteer EMS responder with the Sitka Fire                 
Department.  He informed the committee that over 100 Medivacs are              
performed each year in the Southeast Region, and these Medivacs are            
performed often times by volunteers in small planes and in hostile             
weather conditions.  He said it would nice to provide this benefit             
to them in the case of a deadly accident.                                      
                                                                               
There being no further testimony on SB 338, CHAIRMAN GREEN stated              
she would accept a motion on the bill.                                         
                                                                               
Number 170                                                                     
                                                                               
SENATOR WARD moved SB 338 and the accompanying fiscal note be                  
passed out of committee with individual recommendations.  Hearing              
no objection, it was so ordered.