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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>358945</law_id><section_number>32.1-111.4:6</section_number><catch_line>Establishment of an emergency medical services agency as a department of local government</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>32.1-111.4:3</reference><reference>32.1-111.4:8</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="75" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="4" identifier="4">Health Care Planning</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="4" identifier="2.1">Statewide Emergency Medical Services System and Services</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The governing body of any county, city, or town may establish an <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> as a <span class="dictionary">department</span> of government and may designate it by any name consistent with the names of its other governmental units. The head of such <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> shall be known as &#x201C;the <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> chief&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">EMS</span> chief.&#x201D; As many other officers and employees may be employed in such <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> as the governing body may approve. <a id="paragraph-1335177" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-111.4_6/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> An <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> established pursuant to subsection A may consist of government-employed <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span>, volunteer <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span>, or both. If an <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> established pursuant to this section includes volunteer <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span>, such volunteer <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> shall be deemed an instrumentality of the county, city, or town and, as such, exempt from suit for <span class="dictionary">damages</span> done incident to providing <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services</span> to the county, city, or town. <a id="paragraph-1335178" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-111.4_6/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The governing body of any county, city, or town may empower an <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> established therein pursuant to this section to make bylaws to promote its <span class="dictionary">objects</span> consistent with the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth and <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> of the county, city, or town and may provide for the compensation of the officers and employees of such agency. <a id="paragraph-1335179" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-111.4_6/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> All check stubs or time cards purporting to be a record of time spent on the job by <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span> employed by an <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> established pursuant to this section shall record all hours of employment, regardless of how spent. All check stubs or pay records purporting to show the hourly compensation of <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span> employed by an <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services agency</span> established pursuant to this section shall show the actual hourly wage to be paid. Nothing in this section shall require the showing of such information on check stubs, time cards, or pay records; however, if such information is shown, the information shall be in compliance with this section. <a id="paragraph-1335180" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-111.4_6/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2015, cc. 502, 503.</history><metadata><court_decisions></court_decisions></metadata></law>
