TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution establishing the need to receive summary criminal history information on all Emergency Medical Technicians employed by the City of Long Beach, including any volunteer or contract employees, and establishing the authorization to access local, state and federal level summary Criminal Offender Record Information and Subsequent Arrest Notifications from the Department of Justice for current and newly hired employees. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Assembly Bill (AB) 2917 (Torrico) was signed into law on September 28, 2008. This legislation requires State Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks for all Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) working in pre-hospital care and establishes a central database at the State to track the certification status of the more than 60,000 EMTs practicing in California. The law was passed in response to several incidents in the State of California in which EMTs were dismissed from employment because of criminal behavior and subsequently obtained employment as EMTs with other agencies, despite the revocation of their EMT licenses. The new requirements for background checks and a central database are designed to prevent this from occurring.
The California Emergency Medical Services Authority recognizes the Long Beach Fire Department as one of 69 "certifying entities" in the State. As a certifying entity, the Fire Department is approved to provide initial EMT certification to new employees and recertification of EMTs every two years. EMT personnel in the department include: Firefighters, Marine Safety personnel and Ambulance Operators. As a certifying entity, the department is also required to provide background checks on all EMTs prior to certifying them to function in the role of an EMT. Currently, the department only conducts DOJ background checks and does not receive subsequent arrest notifications.
AB 2917 requires certifying entities to condu...
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