Section 3052. Establishment of a training program for emergency medical services personnel

1. There is hereby established a  training  program
  for  emergency medical services personnel including, but not limited to,
  first responders,  emergency  medical  technicians,  advanced  emergency
  medical technicians and emergency vehicle operators.
    2.  The  commissioner  shall  provide  state  aid  within  the  amount
  appropriated to entities such as local governments,  regional  emergency
  medical  services  councils, and voluntary agencies and organizations to
  conduct training courses for emergency medical services personnel and to
  conduct practical examinations for certification of such personnel.  The
  commissioner  shall  establish  a schedule for determining the amount of
  state aid provided pursuant to this section.
    a. Such schedule may include varying  rates  for  distinct  geographic
  areas  of  the  state  and  for  various  course  sizes,  giving special
  consideration to areas with  the  most  need  for  additional  emergency
  medical  technicians.  In  determining the need for additional emergency
  medical technicians, the commissioner shall use measurements such as the
  average number of emergency medical technicians per  ambulance  service,
  the  ratio of emergency medical technicians per square mile, the average
  number of calls per service and the percentage  of  calls  to  which  an
  emergency  medical  technician  has  responded,  provided  such  data is
  available to the commissioner.
    b. Such schedule shall  provide  sufficient  reimbursement  to  permit
  sponsors  to  offer  basic  emergency  medical  technician courses which
  adhere to curricula approved by the New  York  state  emergency  medical
  services council and the commissioner without the need to charge tuition
  to participants.
    3.  Upon request, the commissioner shall provide management advice and
  technical assistance to regional emergency  medical  services  councils,
  county  emergency medical services coordinators, and course sponsors and
  instructors to stimulate the improvement of  training  courses  and  the
  provision  of  courses  in a manner which encourages participation. Such
  advice and technical assistance may relate to, but need not  be  limited
  to the location, scheduling and structure of courses.
    4.   The   department   is  authorized,  either  directly  or  through
  contractual arrangement, to develop and  distribute  training  materials
  for  use  by  course  instructors  and  sponsors,  to recruit additional
  instructors  and  sponsors  and  to   provide   training   courses   for
  instructors.
    5. The commissioner shall conduct a public service campaign to recruit
  additional  volunteers  to  join ambulance services targeted to areas in
  need for additional emergency medical technicians.