A law signed last September by Gov. Jon Corzine took effect yesterday that requires the state Department and Health and Senior Services and state Department of Human Services to establish autism and intellectual and other developmental disabilities awareness program for emergency medical technicians, police officers and firefighters.
The new law, bill A1908, requires the state to develop a training course and curriculum to inform emergency responders of the risks associated with these disabilities and provide instruction in appropriate recognition and response techniques. All EMTs are required to satisfactorily complete the training course -- new ones as a condition of certification, and those already with their certificates within three years.
The state departments of Community Affairs and Law and Public Safety will have to use the curriculum to adopt a training course for firefighters and law enforcement personnel. Same time frames for completing the training that apply to EMTs will apply to these first responders as well.