36-2208. Bureau of emergency medical services and trauma system

A. There is established within the department a bureau of emergency medical services and trauma system that is responsible for coordinating, establishing and administering a statewide system of emergency medical services, trauma care and a trauma registry.

B. This chapter does not prevent any individual, law enforcement officer, public agency or member of a city, town, fire district or volunteer fire department from rendering on-site emergency medical care or, if, in terms of the existing medical situation, it is deemed not advisable to await the arrival of an ambulance, from transporting emergency medical patients to a hospital or an emergency receiving facility, except that if any patient objects on religious grounds, that patient shall not be administered any medical treatment or be transported to a hospital or an emergency receiving facility.

C. The director shall develop an annual statewide emergency medical and trauma services plan and submit that plan to the council for review and approval. The statewide plan shall then be submitted to the governor for final adoption. Before submitting the plan to the governor, the director shall accept comments from the authorized local agencies and governmental entities.

D. A local emergency medical services coordinating system shall develop a regional emergency medical services plan that includes a needs assessment and submit the plan to the director and to the authorized local agencies within the area. The regional plans shall be integrated into the statewide plan by the department.

E. The state plan shall contain a budget component for funding local and state emergency medical services systems from the emergency medical services operating fund established pursuant to section 36-2218 based on the needs assessment of the local emergency medical services coordinating system plans. The components shall be included in the department's budget through the normal appropriation process.