It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the development, accessibility, and provision of emergency medical services to the people of the State of California.

Further, it is the policy of the State of California that people shall be encouraged and trained to assist others at the scene of a medical emergency. Local governments, agencies, and other organizations shall be encouraged to offer training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and lifesaving first aid techniques so that people may be adequately trained, prepared, and encouraged to assist others immediately.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this chapter shall govern the provisions of this division.

“Advanced life support” means special services designed to provide definitive prehospital emergency medical care, including, but not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, advanced airway management, intravenous therapy, administration of specified drugs and other medicinal preparations, and other specified techniques and procedures administered by authorized personnel under the direct supervision of a base hospital as part of a local EMS system at the scene of an emergency, during transport to an acute care hospital, during interfacility transfer, and while in the emergency department of an acute care hospital until responsibility is assumed by the emergency or other medical staff of that hospital.

“Alternative base station” means a facility or service operated and directly supervised by, or directly supervised by, a physician and surgeon who is trained and qualified to issue advice and instructions to prehospital emergency medical care personnel, which has been approved by the medical director of the local EMS agency to provide medical direction to advanced life support or limited advanced life support personnel responding to a medical emergency as part of the local EMS system, when no qualified hospital is available to provide that medical direction.

“Authority” means the Emergency Medical Services Authority established by this division.

“Authorized registered nurse,” “mobile intensive care nurse,” or “MICN” means a registered nurse who is functioning pursuant to Section 2725 of the Business and Professions Code and who has been authorized by the medical director of the local EMS agency as qualified to provide prehospital advanced life support or to issue instructions to prehospital emergency medical care personnel within an EMS system according to standardized procedures developed by the local EMS agency consistent with statewide guidelines established by the authority. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to abridge or restrict the duties or functions of a registered nurse or mobile intensive care nurse as otherwise provided by law.

“Base hospital” means one of a limited number of hospitals which, upon designation by the local EMS agency and upon the completion of a written contractual agreement with the local EMS agency, is responsible for directing the advanced life support system or limited advanced life support system and prehospital care system assigned to it by the local EMS agency.

“Base hospital physician” or “BHP” means a physician and surgeon who is currently licensed in California, who is assigned to the emergency department of a base hospital, and who has been trained to issue advice and instructions to prehospital emergency medical care personnel consistent with statewide guidelines established by the authority. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to abridge or restrict the duties or functions of a physician and surgeon as otherwise provided by law.

“Basic life support” means emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures which, as a minimum, include recognizing respiratory and cardiac arrest and starting the proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain life without invasive techniques until the victim may be transported or until advanced life support is available.

“Certifying entity” means a public safety agency or the office of the State Fire Marshal if the agency has a training program for EMT-I personnel that is approved pursuant to the standards developed pursuant to Section 1797.109, or the medical director of a local EMS agency.

“Certifying examination” or “examination for certification” means an examination designated by the authority for a specific level of prehospital emergency medical care personnel that must be satisfactorily passed prior to certification or recertification at the specific level and may include any examination or examinations designated by the authority, including, but not limited to, any of the following options determined appropriate by the authority:

“Commission” means the Commission on Emergency Medical Services created pursuant to the provisions of Section 1799.

“Competency based curriculum” means a curriculum in which specific objectives are defined for each of the separate skills taught in training programs with integrated didactic and practical instruction and successful completion of an examination demonstrating mastery of every skill.

“Designated facility” means a hospital which has been designated by a local EMS agency to perform specified emergency medical services systems functions pursuant to guidelines established by the authority.

“Director” means the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.

“Emergency” means a condition or situation in which an individual has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the potential for such need is perceived by emergency medical personnel or a public safety agency.

“Emergency medical services” means the services utilized in responding to a medical emergency.