KEMTIA gets chance to change proposed EMT regulations

By JOHN HULTGREN
Kentucky EMS Connection

ASHLAND — The Kentucky EMT Instructors Association is being given the opportunity to work directly on the proposed revisions to the state EMT regulations.

The evolving revision to the regulations, begun in 1997 by a subcommittee of the EMS Council's Training Committee, has raised the concern of numerous groups within EMS across the state, including KEMTIA.

KEMTIA, an association which represents EMT instructors across Kentucky, was particularly concerned with what most agree is a complete overhaul of the EMT instructor system. Representatives of KEMTIA allege that the subcommittee began with the intention of replacing the current instructor system, and some claim their input was intentionally ignored.

Representatives from the subcommittee deny those claims.

A final draft of the proposed changes were formally entered into the state regulatory process last November.  A public hearing was held in February, and the state legislature directed the EMS Branch to respond to some concerns that were raised.  The EMS Branch was unable to complete their response by the April 8 deadline, and now the regulatory process must be started over again by filing a new notice of intent and submitting a new draft.   The new regulation could be in place by December.

Marcia Burklow, EMT Training Coordinator for the Kentucky EMS Branch, explained some of the new changes from the most recent proposal that would affect EMT instructors yesterday at KEMTIA's annual spring conference in Ashland.

A few of the instructors present forced an end to Burklow's presentation and again expressed their dissatisfaction with the process and the content of the proposed changes. Some KEMTIA members later expressed their embarrassment at the treatment Burklow received, noting that Burklow was presenting an educational offering at the time at the invitation of KEMTIA.

KEMTIA also claims that they have not been given a copy of the most current proposed revisions.  The Kentucky EMS Connection has also requested a copy but so far has been unable to obtain one.

This morning, at the resumption of KEMTIA's general membership meeting that had been adjourned Friday, Burklow announced that KEMTIA would be given the chance to submit their own proposed revisions to the EMS Branch.

"We're back to square one," Burklow said. "Whatever has been done is history."

"Work on it over the summer, take your best shot and submit it. Here is your chance. I want some action behind those words yesterday," Burklow said.

Burklow added that "I'm going to report to the Training Committee on May 6 that KEMTIA is tired of what Frankfort is doing to them, so they want a special committee to draft their own version of the EMT regs."

"I think what Marsha said is very good," replied Phil Taylor, who at that moment was still president of KEMTIA.

A motion was made, and passed, calling for KEMTIA's political affairs committee, comprised of the vice president and representation from each of the 15 regions, to draft KEMTIA's proposal.

Burklow cautioned that, because the next state legislative session begins next year, then sometime in July or August she expects the legislature to place a moratorium on any further filings of intent. Burklow doesn't expect that moratorium to be lifted until the middle of 2000.

After the election of new officers, a motion was passed that directed the new president, Mark Bailey, to formally request an electronic copy of the most current draft from the EMS Branch.

The Kentucky EMS Connection agreed to publish this document, and Bobby Burnett agreed to mail printed copies of the document to instructors who do not have Internet access at his own expense.

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