Public Act 90-0440 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0440
SB315 Enrolled LRB9002215LDcw
AN ACT in relation to emergency services.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Water Rescue Act.
Section 5. Findings. In so much as police, fire, and
emergency medical service departments are recognized as
necessary public safety organizations, the State of Illinois
hereby recognizes the longstanding role and purpose of those
persons specially trained in performing surface and
underwater rescue and recovery of persons and property within
the waterways of Illinois for the purpose of public safety
and accident prevention. For purposes of furthering public
safety and promoting safe use of Illinois waterways, this Act
has been created for the benefit of citizens and visitors to
this State and its many communities.
Section 10. Authorization. Municipalities, counties,
and political subdivisions of this State have authority to
authorize, fund, and continue support for water
rescue/recovery departments within their jurisdictions for
the purpose of the surface and underwater rescue and recovery
of persons and property.
Section 15. Intergovernmental agreements. Such
municipalities, counties, and political subdivisions may by
intergovernmental agreement combine funding and authorization
of such departments within a county if desired.
Section 50. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems
Act is amended by changing Section 3.55 as follows:
(210 ILCS 50/3.55)
Sec. 3.55. Licensed EMT; Scope of practice.
(a) Any person currently licensed as an EMT-B, EMT-I, or
EMT-P may perform emergency and non-emergency medical
services as defined in this Act, in accordance with his or
her level of education, training and licensure, the standards
of performance and conduct prescribed by the Department in
rules adopted pursuant to this Act, and the requirements of
the EMS System in which he or she practices, as contained in
the approved Program Plan for that System.
(a-5) A person currently approved as a First Responder
or licensed as an EMT-B, EMT-I, or EMT-P who has successfully
completed a Department approved course in automated
defibrillator operation and who is functioning within a
Department approved EMS System may utilize such automated
defibrillator according to the standards of performance and
conduct prescribed by the Department in rules adopted
pursuant to this Act and the requirements of the EMS System
in which he or she practices, as contained in the approved
Program Plan for that System.
(b) A person currently licensed as an EMT-B, EMT-I, or
EMT-P may only practice as an EMT or utilize his or her EMT
license in pre-hospital or inter-hospital emergency care
settings or non-emergency medical transport situations, under
the written or verbal direction of the EMS Medical Director.
For purposes of this Section, a "pre-hospital emergency care
setting" may include a location, that is not a health care
facility, which utilizes EMTs to render pre-hospital
emergency care prior to the arrival of a transport vehicle.
The location shall include communication equipment and all of
the portable equipment and drugs appropriate for the EMT's
level of care, as required by this Act, rules adopted by the
Department pursuant to this Act, and the protocols of the EMS
Systems, and shall operate only with the approval and under
the direction of the EMS Medical Director.
This Section shall not prohibit an EMT-B, EMT-I, or EMT-P
from practicing within an emergency department or other
health care setting for the purpose of receiving continuing
education or training approved by the EMS Medical Director.
This Section shall also not prohibit an EMT-B, EMT-I, or
EMT-P from seeking credentials other than his or her EMT
license and utilizing such credentials to work in emergency
departments or other health care settings under the
jurisdiction of that employer.
(c) A person currently licensed as an EMT-B, EMT-I, or
EMT-P may honor Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders and powers of
attorney for health care only in accordance with rules
adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act and protocols
of the EMS System in which he or she practices.
(d) A student enrolled in a Department approved
emergency medical technician program, while fulfilling the
clinical training and in-field supervised experience
requirements mandated for licensure or approval by the System
and the Department, may perform prescribed procedures under
the direct supervision of a physician licensed to practice
medicine in all of its branches, a qualified registered
professional nurse or a qualified EMT, only when authorized
by the EMS Medical Director.
(Source: P.A. 89-177, eff. 7-19-95.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Section and Sections
1, 5, 10, and 15 take effect upon becoming law.