Section 1:  Findings and Declaration of Public Interest

1. The Boston Public Health Commission is committed to the enhancement and expansion of public health services in the City of Boston.
2. Boston EMS, a division of the Boston Public Health Commission, has developed a Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention Program within the City of Boston.
3. The primary cause of sudden cardiac death is treatable only if rapid defibrillation is provided.
4. Since the institution of this program, the cardiac arrest survival rate in the City of Boston has shown marked improvement.
5. In an effort to further improve the cardiac arrest survival rates in the City of Boston, it is in the interest of the public’s health, safety and welfare that the semi-automatic external cardiac defibrillation program be extended to qualified “Private First Responders” as defined below.
6. It is in the interest of the public’s health, safety and welfare to have coordination of all credentialing, evaluation, quality assurance and equipment compatibility under the auspices of the Boston EMS Medical Director.
7. The Massachusetts Department of Health has established regulations concerning the implementation of semi-automatic external defibrillation programs for emergency medical technicians and First Responders.
8. It is in the interest of the public’s health, safety and welfare that this regulation be promulgated to further the protections provided by state law.

Section 2:  Definitions

“AED”:  Automatic external defibrillator.

“Boston EMS”:  the Emergency Medical Services division, Boston Public Health Commission.

“First Responder”:  a person as defined by 105 CMR 171.050.

“Medical Director”:  the Boston Medical Center physician charged with medical oversight of Boston EMS.

“Private First Responder”:  a person, other than an EMT working for a licensed ambulance service or a First Responder, as defined by state regulation, who provides defibrillation services to the public in a setting outside a hospital, clinic, skilled nursing facility, health center or physician’s office, within the City of Boston.

“SAED”:  Semi-automatic external defibrillator.

Section 3: Training Evaluation, Equipment and Quality Assurance

1. Boston EMS, as the lead agency for the provision of pre-hospital emergency medical services in the City of Boston, shall provide a Medical Director who may specify medically appropriate protocols for any Private First Responder.
2. Prior to offering defibrillation services, and at least annually thereafter or at such other interval as is specified by the Boston EMS Medical Director, a Private First Responder must undergo a training evaluation as determined by the Boston EMS Medical Director.

3. A Private First Responder shall utilize cardiac defibrillation equipment which is compatible with or is augmented with plugs and/or adapters such that the equipment is compatible with a defibrillation pad as designated from time to time by the Boston EMS Medical Director.
4. A Private First Responder shall participate in the Boston EMS Quality Assurance Program as determined by the Boston EMS Medical Director.
5. A Private First Responder shall utilize cardiac defibrillation equipment which provides on-site retrieval of the following quality assurance data: 1) time SAED turned on; 2) date; 3) time analysis begun; 4) initial rhythm; 5) time each shock delivered; 6) cardiac rhythm pre and post each shock; and, 7) energy level delivered for each shock. Such information shall be provided to Boston EMS in accordance with its Quality Assurance Program.
6. This regulation shall not apply to individual household use of SAED or AED as prescribed by a private physician.

Section 4:  Enforcement
Any person or entity violating this regulation shall be subject to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1000) for each day that such violation continues.

Authority:  M.G.L. c. 111, sec. 31; M.G.L. c. 111, App. secs. 2-6(b), 2-7(a)(1), and 2-7(a)(15)

For further information, contact:>
Boston Public Health Commission
Emergency Medical Services>
767 Albany Street
Boston, MA  02118
(617) 343-2367