CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 1739
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1739
By Representative Saunders
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to emergency medical services;
3 amending ss. 365.171, 395.1027, F.S.; requiring
4 a local governmental entity that operates a
5 "911" emergency telephone system to enter into
6 an agreement with the regional poison control
7 center; requiring that the agreement outline a
8 protocol under which the poison control center
9 is consulted with respect to each emergency
10 call that involves exposure to a potentially
11 toxic substance; requiring the poison control
12 center to assess the emergency and recommend an
13 appropriate response; providing an effective
14 date.
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16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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18 Section 1. Subsections (4) and (6) of section 365.171,
19 Florida Statutes, 1996 Supplement, are amended to read:
20 365.171 Emergency telephone number "911."--
21 (4) STATE PLAN.--The division shall develop a
22 statewide emergency telephone number "911" system plan. The
23 plan shall provide for:
24 (a) The establishment of the public agency emergency
25 telephone communications requirements for each entity of local
26 government in the state.
27 (b) A system to meet specific local government
28 requirements. Such system must shall include law enforcement,
29 firefighting, poison control, and emergency medical services
30 and may include other emergency services such as poison
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1 control, suicide prevention, and emergency management
2 services.
3 (c) Identification of the mutual aid agreements
4 necessary to obtain an effective "911" system.
5 (d) A funding provision that must which shall identify
6 the cost necessary to implement the "911" system.
7 (e) A firm implementation schedule that must which
8 shall include the installation of the "911" system in a local
9 community within 24 months after the designated agency of the
10 local government gives a firm order to the telephone utility
11 for a "911" system.
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13 The division shall be responsible for the implementation and
14 coordination of such plan. The division shall adopt any
15 necessary rules and schedules related to public agencies for
16 implementing and coordinating such plan, pursuant to chapter
17 120. The public agency designated in the plan shall order
18 such system within 6 months after publication date of the plan
19 if the public agency is in receipt of funds appropriated by
20 the Legislature for the implementation and maintenance of the
21 "911" system. Any jurisdiction which has utilized local
22 funding as of July 1, 1976, to begin the implementation of the
23 state plan as set forth in this section shall be eligible for
24 at least a partial reimbursement of its direct cost when, and
25 if, state funds are available for such reimbursement.
26 (6) REGIONAL SYSTEMS.--
27 (a) Nothing in This section does not shall be
28 construed to prohibit or discourage the formation of
29 multijurisdictional or regional systems; and any system
30 established pursuant to this section may include the
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1 jurisdiction, or any portion thereof, of more than one public
2 agency.
3 (b) Each local governmental entity that operates a
4 "911" system shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the
5 poison control center established under s. 395.1027 which
6 covers the geographic area of the "911" system. The
7 cooperative agreement must outline a protocol under which the
8 poison control center is consulted via a telephone conference
9 call for each call to the "911" system that involves exposure
10 to a potentially toxic substance. The regional poison control
11 center shall assess the individual case and recommend the
12 appropriate level of care so that an emergency unit is not
13 unnecessarily dispatched or made unavailable for a more
14 life-threatening intervention.
15 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 395.1027, Florida
16 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (4) is added to that
17 section, to read:
18 395.1027 Regional poison control centers.--
19 (2) Each regional poison control center shall provide
20 the following services:
21 (a) Toll-free access by the public for poison
22 information.
23 (b) Case management of poison cases.
24 (c) Professional consultation to health care
25 practitioners and emergency "911" systems.
26 (d) Prevention education to the public.
27 (e) Data collection and reporting.
28 (4) Each regional poison control center shall enter
29 into a cooperative agreement with the local governmental
30 entities that operate a "911" emergency telephone system
31 within the center's geographic area. The cooperative agreement
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 1739
550-146-97
1 must outline a protocol under which the poison control center
2 is consulted via a telephone conference call for each call to
3 the "911" system that involves exposure to a potentially toxic
4 substance. The regional poison control center shall assess the
5 individual case and recommend the appropriate level of care so
6 that an emergency unit is not unnecessarily dispatched or made
7 unavailable for a more life-threatening intervention.
8 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.
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11 SENATE SUMMARY
12 Requires local governments that operate a "911" emergency
telephone system and each regional poison control center
13 to enter into cooperative agreements under which any
emergency call that involves exposure to a potentially
14 toxic substance is assessed by the poison control center.
Provides for the poison control center to recommend the
15 appropriate level of care in order to avoid unnecessarily
dispatching an emergency unit.
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