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Inventory of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority Records
R148
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Title: California Emergency Medical Services Authority Records
Dates: 1975-1991
Collection number: R148
Creator:
California Emergency Medical Services Authority
Collection Size:
20.5 cubic feet of textual records
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The California Emergency Medical Services Authority, EMSA, is one of 13 departments within the California Health and Human
Services Agency and administers the statewide system of coordinated emergency medical care, injury prevention, and disaster
medical response. The records of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority include 20.5 cubic feet of textual records
from 1975 to 1991, concerning the establishment and development of the EMSA and the development of procedures and guidelines
for the California EMS system.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], California Emergency Medical Services Authority Records, R148.[Series Number], [box and folder number],
California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the California Emergency Medical Services Authority Records according to state law.
The California Emergency Medical Services Authority, EMSA, is one of 13 departments within the California Health and Human
Services Agency and administers the statewide system of coordinated emergency medical care, injury prevention, and disaster
medical response. Prior to 1980, no organization like this one existed and previous efforts were handled by various state
and local agencies. These agencies were divided on many issues but agreed that a unified approach towards emergency and disaster
services was needed. SB 215, (Chapter 1260, Statutes of 1980), created the Emergency Medical Services System and Prehospital
Emergency Care Act of 1980, which authorized the designation of local Emergency Medical Services agencies and systems and
created the Emergency Medical Services Authority. The EMSA was to establish statewide standards for prehospital emergency
medical care personnel and the California Emergency Medical Services system. EMSA promotes disaster medical preparedness
throughout California and, when required, manages the state's medical response to major disasters. It provides statewide
coordination and leadership for planning, development, and implementation of the 32 local EMS systems that provide medical
services for California's 58 counties. The EMSA also establishes the standards, training, and scope of practice for various
levels of prehospital EMS personnel.
The records of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority include 20.5 cubic feet of textual records from 1975 to
1991 and concerning the establishment and development of the EMSA and the development of procedures and guidelines for the
California EMS system. The collection is divided into the following series of records: Subject files, California County
Files, State Files, Federal Files, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Files, Commission on EMS Files, California State Department
Files, Association and Organization Files, and Regulations and Guidelines Files.
The majority of the records are the subject files and addresses a variety of topics including: injury prevention, poison control,
disaster coordination planning and guidelines, testing standards and procedures for prehospital personnel, and analyses of
various emergency equipment. Federal Files contain materials exchanged between federal departments and the EMSA. State and
County Files compromise materials and correspondence from California counties and departments as they relate to the operation
of the EMSA. Local concerns with guidelines, procedures, and requirements are found in this series, as are departmental correspondence
involving issues such as fiscal solvency and legal reciprocity. EMS Files and Commission on EMS Files contain materials highlighting
procedural development, equipment procurement and testing, safety issues, the crafting of training curriculum and standards,
analyses, and the collection of survey data. Association and Organizational Files contain correspondence and information
from local and national entities, noting regulatory and curriculum development, interaction between EMSA and other agencies
of the California government. The Regulations and Guidelines Files contain materials outlining the development of specific
EMSA rules and regulations. The researcher will often find surveys, draft versions of regulations and reports, and correspondence
illustrating the efforts of EMSA to develop universal guidelines, standards, and requirements for the California EMS system.
This collection could be invaluable for examining the creation of and development of California's emergency response system
and the ongoing efforts to craft effective practices, standards and regulations regarding prehospital procedures, personnel,
and disaster response efforts in California.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California. Emergency Medical Services Authority
Emergency medical services--Law and legislation
Disaster response and recovery