(1) The department, with the assistance of the emergency medical services and trauma care steering committee, shall adopt a program for the disbursement of funds for the development, implementation, and enhancement of the emergency medical services and trauma care system. Under the program, the department shall disburse funds to each emergency medical services and trauma care regional council, or their chosen fiscal agent or agents, which shall be city or county governments, stipulating the purpose for which the funds shall be expended. The regional emergency medical services and trauma care council shall use such funds to make available matching grants in an amount not to exceed fifty percent of the cost of the proposal for which the grant is made; provided, the department may waive or modify the matching requirement if it determines insufficient local funding exists and the public health and safety would be jeopardized if the proposal were not funded. Grants shall be made to any public or private nonprofit agency which, in the judgment of the regional emergency medical services and trauma care council, will best fulfill the purpose of the grant.
(2) Grants may be awarded for any of the following purposes:
(a) Establishment and initial development of an emergency medical services and trauma care system;
(b) Expansion and improvement of an emergency medical services and trauma care system;
(c) Purchase of equipment for the operation of an emergency medical services and trauma care system;
(d) Training and continuing education of emergency medical and trauma care personnel; and
(e) Department approved research and development activities pertaining to emergency medical services and trauma care.
(3) Any emergency medical services agency or trauma care provider which receives a grant shall stipulate that it will:
(a) Operate in accordance with applicable provisions and standards required under this chapter;
(b) Provide, without prior inquiry as to ability to pay, emergency medical and trauma care to all patients requiring such care; and
(c) Be consistent with applicable provisions of the regional emergency medical services and trauma care plan and the statewide emergency medical services and trauma care system plan.
[ 1990 c 269 § 16; 1987 c 214 § 8; 1979 ex.s. c 261 § 8. Formerly RCW 18.73.085.]