§ 31-11-60 — Obtaining and administering drugs by certified employees of counties or municipalities

(a) Any emergency medical technician, paramedic, or cardiac technician who is certified under this article and who works for a county or municipal police department, fire department, or rescue unit is authorized to obtain any substance which such person is authorized to administer by virtue of his certification. Any such unit to which the emergency medical technician, paramedic, or cardiac technician is attached must be licensed by the department as a medical first responder unit. Such unit may then obtain from a hospital pharmacy those legend drugs listed and legally permitted to be used by paramedics, emergency medical technicians, or cardiac technicians. The first responder unit shall have a signed agreement with the hospital in order for the hospital to furnish such drugs, and a copy of this agreement must be filed with the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency. The requirements for administering, controlling, and storing these drugs shall be the same as the requirements for a standard ward inventory in a hospital. (b) Any substance obtained under subsection (a) of this Code section shall be used only in connection with the emergency medical technician's, paramedic's, or cardiac technician's employment with the county or municipality, as such, and only while on duty as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or cardiac technician. (c) It shall not be necessary for an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or cardiac technician to be assigned to a licensed ambulance service in order to obtain any substance under subsection (a) of this Code section.