| (a) EMS personnel and applicants for EMS certification
or licensure may request an exemption to rules of this chapter by:
(1) submitting an exemption request application form
with a nonrefundable fee of $30, if applicable, in addition to any
other applicable applications and fees required by this chapter;
(2) providing a letter of explanation and other documented
evidence which establishes that patient care will not be diminished,
or the health and safety of the public affected, if the exemption
is approved;
(3) providing a signed and dated written statement
of support from the medical director of the licensed emergency medical
services (EMS) provider or registered first responder organization
with whom the applicant is affiliated or will be affiliated; and
(4) providing a written plan under which the applicable
requirement will be met as soon as possible.
(b) In determining whether to grant the exemption,
the department shall take into consideration the best interests of
the people in a rural area who are served by the licensed EMS provider
or registered first responder organization with whom the applicant
is affiliated or will be affiliated, if approved. For the purposes
of this section, a rural area is defined to be:
(1) a county of 50,000 or less; or
(2) a sparsely populated area in a county with a population
of more than 50,000, as determined by the Federal Office of Rural
Health Policy designation (of rural areas within metropolitan areas).
(c) If the request is approved, an exemption may be
granted temporarily. The applicant will be notified by the department,
in writing, and the notification shall include:
(1) the date the exemption begins and expires;
(2) an explicit statement which specifically describes
the rule requirements exempted and any related conditions which must
be met for the exemption to apply or continue to apply.
(d) This exemption process may be utilized to temporarily
allow a person in a rural area, described in subsection (b)(1) and
(2) of this section, to practice at a higher level prior to receiving
the higher level of certification.
(1) To apply to receive this allowance for up to two
months after course completion, the applicant must:
(A) meet the requirements of subsection (a)(1) - (4)
of this section;
(B) be currently certified by the department as an
ECA, EMT, or AEMT; and
(C) submit a course completion certificate for the
higher level of training.
(2) If granted through written approval from the department,
the candidate may practice at the higher level only if accompanied
by an individual who is certified or licensed by the department at
the same or a higher level of certification or licensure.
(3) This allowance shall be automatically and immediately
forfeited upon notification of the candidate's failure of the National
Registry written or practical examination.
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