Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 144 de 22 de diciembre de 1994, conocida como la "Ley del Servicio 9-1-1", para corregir la denominación del "Servicio de Emergencias Médicas del Cuerpo de Bomberos de Puerto Rico" a Cuerpo de Emergencias Médicas de Puerto Rico y del "Servicio de Bomberos de Puerto Rico" a Cuerpo de Bomberos de Puerto Rico. Además, incorpora al Jefe del Cuerpo de Bomberos de Puerto Rico como miembro ex officio de la Junta de Gobierno del Servicio 9-1-1.
(Approved January 8, 2004)
To amend Sections 2 and 3 of Act No. 144 of December 22, 1994, as amended, known as the "9-1-1 Calls Act," for the purpose of correctly naming the "Medical Emergency Service of the Firefighters Corps of Puerto Rico" as the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico and the "Firefighters Service of Puerto Rico," as the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps, as established in Act No. 114 of September 6, 1997, and Act No. 43 of June 21, 1988, as amended, respectively; and to incorporate the Chief of the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps as an ex-officio member of the 9-1-1 Service Government Board.
The leading group of the 9-1-1 Service Government Board, an organization created by Act No. 144 of December 22, 1994, as amended, known as the "9-1-1 Calls Act," is formed by the Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police, who presides over it, the executive directors of the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth Emergency Management and Disaster Administration Agency, as ex-officio members, and one representative of the public interest.
Although Act No. 114 of September 6, 1997, created the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico as an autonomous organization, the 9-1-1 Calls Act continues to refer to this organization as the Medical Emergency Service of the Firefighters Corps of Puerto Rico, or the Medical Emergency Service of the Firefighters Service of Puerto Rico. It also continues to refer to the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps, as the Puerto Rico Firefighters
Service, notwithstanding what is provided by Act No. 43 of June 21, 1988, as amended. On the other hand, Act No. 144, supra, excludes the Chief of the Firefighters Corps from the members of the Board, even though this organization is one of the most important components of the 9-1-1 emergency system, which the law itself expressly recognizes in its Section 2, as one of the Public Safety Agencies whose services are offered through the use of the 9-1-1 emergency telephone number. By incorporating this officer into the Board, the number of its members is raised from four to five members, helping it to make easier and quicker decisions during the Board's deliberations.
For these reasons, this Legislature amends Sections 2 and 3 of referred Act No. 144, to include the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico, with its correct denomination, as well as the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps, under the definition of Public Safety Agency. Additionally, the Chief of the Puerto Rico Firefighter Corps is included as an ex officio member of the 9-1-1 Service Government Board.
Section 1.- Sub-paragraph
(a) of Section 2 of Act No. 144 of December 22, 1994, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 2.- Definitions The following terms shall have the meaning indicated below, unless another meaning can be clearly constituted from the context:
(a) Public Safety Agency.- those agencies whose services are offered through the use of the 9-1-1 emergency telephone number, including, specifically the Police of Puerto Rico, the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps, the Commonwealth Emergency
Management and Disaster Administration Agency and the Department of the Family." "Section 3.- 9-1-1 Service Government Board An organization is hereby created, which shall be called the 9-1-1 Service Government Board, formed by the Police Superintendent, the Executive Director of the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico, the Chief of the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps, and the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Emergency Management and Administration Agency. In addition to the four ex-officio members mentioned here, the Board shall be formed by an additional member representing the public interest, who shall be selected and appointed with the consent of the ex-officio members mentioned herein. The representative for the public interest shall be selected from a list of candidates, to be supplied by the professional institutions recognized or accredited by law, to be determined by the ex-officio members, among which shall be the Medical Association and the College of Engineers. The professional institutions shall nominate one candidate each."
Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 9 (S.B. 2474) of the $6^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Sections 2 and 3 of Act No. 144 of December 22, 1994, as amended, known as the "9-1-1 Calls Act," for the purpose of correctly naming the "Medical Emergency Service of the Firefighters Corps of Puerto Rico" as the Medical Emergencies Corps of Puerto Rico and the "Firefighters Service of Puerto Rico," as the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps, as established in Act No. 114 of September 6, 1997, and Act No. 43 of June 21, 1988, as amended, respectively; etc., has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $4^{ ext {th }}$ of April of 2005.
Luis E. Fusté-Lacourt Director