6 Colo. Code Regs. § 1015-3-4-13

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 11, June 10, 2024

Section 6 CCR 1015-3-4-13 - Minimum Equipment Requirements

13.1 For purposes of this Section 13, every ambulance service shall have:

13.1.1 Medical protocols that have been approved by the service medical director;

13.1.2 Policies that clearly document equipment requirements for each permitted ambulance per medical protocol, including the minimum equipment requirements as set forth in these rules; and

13.1.3 Sufficient medical equipment and supplies as provided in these rules to provide care consistent with the ambulance service's medical protocols and appropriate patient care standards for the ages and sizes of the population served.

13.2 Minimum Equipment for Ambulances

13.2.1 A licensed ambulance service shall require each of its permitted ambulances to have appropriate means of assessing patients pursuant to the ambulance service's medical protocols, including, but not limited to:

A) Pediatric length, age, or weight-based system for determining drug dosage calculations and sizing equipment.

13.2.2 A licensed ambulance service shall require each of its permitted ambulances to have appropriate means of treating patients pursuant to the ambulance service's medical protocols which include, but are not limited to, the following:

A) Ventilation and airway equipment;

B) Splinting or other appropriate devices for treating orthopedic and spinal injuries;

C) Dressings and other appropriate materials to address bleeding and burns;

D) Obstetrical supplies for field deliveries;

E) Pharmacological agents;

F) Hemorrhage control equipment, including a commercially manufactured hemorrhage control tourniquet; and

G) Means of defibrillation capable of delivering electrical countershock.

13.2.3 A licensed ambulance service shall require each of its permitted ambulances to have appropriate equipment to support ground ambulance operations, pursuant to the ambulance service's medical protocols and policies, which includes, but is not limited to, the following:

A) Communications equipment:

1) On or before July 1, 2026, two (2) different forms of communications equipment on each permitted ambulance, to include:

a) Two-way voice radio communications with PSAP (Public Safety Answering Points) in good working order that will enable clear voice communications between ambulance personnel and the:

i) Ambulance service's dispatch;

ii) Medical control facility or the medical control physician;

iii) Receiving facilities; and

iv) Mutual aid agencies; and

b) A redundant form of communications equipment, which may include wireless telephones;

B) Infection control equipment and supplies; and

C) Mechanisms to secure equipment stored in the ambulance's patient compartment.

13.2.4 A licensed ambulance service shall require each of its permitted ambulances to have, at minimum, vehicle safety equipment pertinent to:

A) Traffic safety devices, including but not limited to vests and warning triangles;

B) Daytime and nighttime operations, including but not limited to an operating flashlight and incident and scene lighting;

C) All weather conditions, to include items such as tire chains; and

D) Fire hazard abatement, to include, at minimum, fire extinguishers.

13.2.5 A licensed ambulance service shall require each of its permitted ambulances to carry at minimum:

A) Appropriately-sized personal protective equipment (PPE) for all on-duty personnel, conforming to national standards such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); and

B) Sharps containers and receptacles for the appropriate disposal and storage of medical waste and biohazards.

13.2.6 A licensed ambulance service shall require, at minimum, that each of its permitted ambulances be equipped with the following personal restraint equipment:

A) A child protective restraint system that accommodates a weight range between five (5) and ninety-nine (99) pounds; and

B) Appropriate protective restraints for patients, crew, accompanying family members, and other vehicle occupants.

13.3 Minimum Equipment for Ambulances for Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Critical Care Services

13.3.1 In addition to all equipment required in Section 13.2, a licensed ambulance service that provides advanced life support or critical care services shall ensure that every permitted ambulance that operates as such is also equipped with the following minimum medical and operational equipment:

A) Means of assessing and treating the patient pursuant to the ambulance service's medical protocols including, but not limited to, the following:

1) End-tidal CO₂ monitor or detection device;

2) Portable, battery-operated cardiac monitor-defibrillator;

3) Advanced airway equipment;

4) Fluid maintenance solutions per medical protocol;

5) Medication administration equipment per medical protocol; and

6) For permitted ambulances providing critical care services, appropriate equipment to provide such services, subject to medical protocol.

13.4 Minimum Equipment for Ambulances Providing Specialized Services

13.4.1 Ambulance services may choose to provide specialized services such as stroke care, bariatric care, and pediatric care in addition to 911 response and interfacility transport services.

A) For all permitted ambulances that provide specialized services, a licensed ambulance service shall ensure that every such ambulance is equipped with:

1) The minimum medical and operational equipment required in Section 13.2 or 13.3, depending upon the level of service (BLS or ALS) the ambulance service provides; and

2) The equipment necessary to perform the specific specialized services per medical protocol, as determined by the ambulance service medical director.

B) These minimum equipment rules apply to all ambulances that provide specialized services, whether they furnish specialized services only or in addition to 911 response and/or interfacility transportservices.

6 CCR 1015-3-4-13

47 CR 02, January 25, 2024, effective 2/14/2024