Fla. DOH Waives Live Clinical Training for EMS Students

PRESS RELEASE

The following is an emergency order decreed by Florida State Surgeon General Scott A. Rivkees, MD.

EMERGENCY ORDER

WHEREAS, Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory illness that can spread among humans through respiratory transmission and presents with symptoms similar to those of influenza; and

WHEREAS, on March 1, 2020, I declared a Public Health Emergency exists in the State of Florida as a result of COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order number 20-51; and

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52 declaring a state of emergency for the entire State of Florida as a result of COVID19, and allowing for the waiver of certain statutes and rules that prevent, hinder, or delay any necessary action in coping with the state of emergency caused by COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, on May 8, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-114, renewing Executive Order 20-52; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to waive certain statutes and rules of the Florida Department of Health in order to effectively respond to the emergency caused by COVID- 2 19, including certain statutes or preventing the safe and efficient provision of health care services to patients in the state of Florida.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SCOTT A. RIVKEES, M.D., pursuant to the authority granted by Executive Order No. 20-52, as extended by Executive Order No. 20- 114, find that strict compliance with the provisions of certain regulatory statutes and rules prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business by the Florida Department of Health will prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the emergency caused by COVID-19. In order to effectively respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 it is necessary to promulgate the following:

Section 1: For purposes of preparing for, responding to, mitigating, and recovering from any effect of COVID-19, the provisions of section 401.25(2)(d), Florida Statutes, and the rules adopted thereunder are suspended to the extent these provisions limit licensed basic life support service providers, licensed advanced life support service providers, and licensed air ambulance service providers in emergency and nonemergency services and transportation in permitted vehicles and aircraft. These vehicles and aircraft therefore may provide service and transportation in any county without obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity. This suspension operates until the expiration of Executive Order No. 20-52, unless extended.

Section 2: For purposes of preparing for, responding to, mitigating, and recovering from any effect of COVID-19, the provisions of sections 401.25(4) and 401.26(5)(a), Florida Statutes, and the rules adopted thereunder are suspended to the extent they would require renewal of basic life support service provider licenses, advanced life support 3 service provider licenses, air ambulance service provider licenses, and the associated vehicle and aircraft permits before July 31, 2020. The deadline for such renewal is extended until August 31, 2020, unless extended by the State Surgeon General.

Section 3: For purposes of preparing for, responding to, mitigating, and recovering from any effect of COVID-19, the use of a remote live videoconference may be substituted for the site visit to an emergency medical services training program institution required by section 401.2701(1)(b), Florida Statutes, until the expiration of Executive Order No. 20- 52, unless extended.

Section 4: For purposes of preparing for, responding to, mitigating, and recovering from any effect of COVID-19, emergency medical services training programs may, with the approval of the training program medical director, substitute supervised remote live videoconferencing or simulation for clinical, and field internship requirement of Florida Administrative Code Rule 64J-1.020(6), until the expiration of Executive Order No. 20- 52, unless extended.

Because section 252.36(5)(a), Florida Statutes, allows the Governor to suspend the provisions of “any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for [the] conduct of state business,” and because Section 4. B. of Executive Order No. 20-52 provides the State Surgeon General with the authority to issue this Emergency Order, the requirements of sections 252.46 and 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, do not apply to this Order. The effective dates of this Order, unless otherwise specified above, shall correspond with the effective dates of Executive Order No. 20-52, unless extended. 4 Executed this 31st day of May 2020, in Department of Health Offices, Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

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