California Emergency Medical Services Authority
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The California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA or EMS Authority) is an agency of California State government. The California EMS Authority is one of the thirteen departments within the California Health and Human Services Agency. The director is required to be a physician with substantial experience in emergency medicine.
Dr. Steven Tharratt, M.D. is the current director. Daniel Smiley has been the chief deputy director since 1989.
The mission of the California EMS Authority is to ensure quality patient care by administering an effective, statewide system of coordinated emergency medical care, injury prevention, and disaster medical response.
In California, the EMS Authority is responsible for paramedic licensure, emergency medical technician regulations, trauma center and trauma system standards, ambulance service coordination, and disaster medical response.
[edit] History and Background
Paramedic programs were established as a county option in California in 1971 by the Wedworth-Townsend Pilot Paramedic Act (SB 772). Los Angeles County became the first county to California with paramedics. The popular television show Emergency! demonstrated the potential for improved pre-hospital care. Paramedic programs began to be established in many counties in California.
Before 1980, the responsibility for emergency medical services (EMS) and disaster medical preparedness was spread among a variety of state departments. It became clear that a more unified approach to emergency and disaster medical services was needed. The Emergency Medical Services System and Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act (California Health and Safety Code sections 1797 et seq.) created the Emergency Medical Services Authority in 1980. This legislation (SB 125) was the culmination of several years of effort by local administrators, health care providers, consumer groups, and legislators to establish a state lead agency and centralized resource to deal with emergency and disaster medical services.
[edit] Role
The EMS Authority is charged with providing leadership in developing and implementing Emergency medical Services (EMS) systems throughout California. The department also has the responsibility for promoting disaster medical preparedness throughout the state, and, when required, managing the state's medical response to major disasters.
In California, day-to-day EMS system management is the responsibility of 31 local and regional EMS agencies (LEMSA). It is principally through these agencies that the EMS Authority works to promote quality EMS services statewide. The EMS Authority also works closely with many local, state and federal agencies and private enterprises with emergency and disaster medical services roles and responsibilities.
