Bill Text: HI HB90 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Emergency Response Vehicle Noise Task Force
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2013-04-18 - Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 710). [HB90 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2013-HB90-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
90 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
H.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Findings and purpose. (a) The legislature finds that a review of procedures for emergency response vehicles is necessary to address issues of current concern to the public. Specifically, the issues that have been raised are:
(1) Whether emergency response vehicle sirens are audible by motorists;
(2) Whether motorists can see emergency response vehicle flashing lights;
(3) Whether motorists give low priority to moving out of the way of emergency response vehicles or even ignore them;
(4) Whether emergency response vehicle lights and sirens are effective warning devices;
(5) Whether travelling with lights and sirens decreases emergency response vehicle response and transport times, thus saving lives;
(6) Whether the use of lights or sirens is necessary for responses that are not time-sensitive;
(7) Whether driving an emergency response vehicle using lights and sirens is more dangerous for the driver or the public than driving without using lights and sirens;
(8) Whether time-critical patients or victims can be identified to justify the use of lights and sirens at the time and dispatch of a 911 call;
(9) Whether there has ever been a lawsuit filed in the United States or Canada complaining that an emergency response vehicle responded without using lights and sirens when the use of the lights and sirens would have been appropriate;
(10) Whether the public expects the use of lights and sirens for emergency response vehicles; and
(11) Whether it is common for a caller to request the services of an emergency response vehicle without the use of lights or sirens.
(b) In 1994, the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians, together with the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Directors, published official practice-setting recommendations as follows:
(1) Emergency medical services medical directors should participate directly in the development of policies governing emergency medical-vehicle response, patient transport, and the use of warning lights and sirens;
(2) The use of lights and sirens during an emergency response and during patient transport should be based on standardized protocols that take into account situational and patient problem assessments;
(3) Emergency medical services agencies should use an emergency medical-dispatch priority reference system that has been developed in conjunction with and approved by the emergency medical services medical director to determine which requests for pre-hospital medical care require the use of warning lights and sirens;
(4) Except for suspected life-threatening, time-critical cases or cases involving multiple patients, response by more than one emergency medical vehicle using lights and sirens usually is unnecessary;
(5) The use of emergency warning lights and sirens should be limited to emergency responses and emergency-transport situations; and
(6) Scientific studies evaluating the effectiveness of warning lights and sirens under specific situations should be conducted and validated.
(c) The purpose of this Act is to establish a temporary emergency response vehicle noise task force to determine:
(1) The impact of the use of emergency response vehicle sirens in terms of noise and whether the use of sirens enhances the safety of first responders and the public; and
(2) The relative effectiveness of the use of emergency response vehicle lights instead of the use of sirens at night,
when an emergency response vehicle responds to a call in the State.
SECTION 2. Temporary emergency response vehicle noise task force. (a) There is created a temporary emergency response vehicle noise task force within the department of health, to examine the use and effectiveness of lights and sirens by emergency response vehicles. The task force shall specifically determine:
(1) The impact of the use of emergency response vehicle sirens in terms of noise and whether the use of sirens enhances the safety of first responders and the public; and
(2) The relative effectiveness of the use of lights rather than sirens at night,
when an emergency response vehicle responds to a call in the State.
(b) The temporary task force shall consist of:
(1) One member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(2) One member of the senate to be appointed by the president of the senate;
(3) One member representing emergency medical services;
(4) One member representing the state emergency medical services advisory committee, to be requested to serve as a member;
(5) One member representing the department of transportation;
(6) One member representing the department of public safety;
(7) One member representing all of the mayors of the four counties;
(8) One member representing all of the police departments of the four counties;
(9) One member representing all of the fire departments of the four counties;
(10) One member representing emergency medical service personnel, to be requested to serve as a member; and
(11) One member representing the blind community to be appointed by the director of health.
(c) Members shall not be compensated but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred, including travel expenses, in carrying out their duties. The department of health shall provide all necessary administrative, professional, technical, and clerical support required by the task force.
(d) The task force shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations, including any necessary proposed state and county legislation, to the legislature and to the council of each county, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2014.
(e) The task force shall terminate on June 30, 2014.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Report Title:
Emergency Response Vehicle Noise Task Force
Description:
Establishes a temporary Emergency Response Vehicle Noise Task Force to determine the impact of the emergency response vehicle sirens in terms of excessive noise, the effect on public safety, and the relative effectiveness of the use of emergency lights instead of the use of sirens at night. (HB90 HD2)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
