(a) Purpose.--An air ambulance is a rotorcraft staffed by a crew that provides medical assessment, treatment, monitoring, observation and transportation of patients who require EMS where time to administer definitive care is of the essence and transportation by air ambulance to a facility able to provide the care is faster than transportation by ground ambulance, or require EMS provided by specialized equipment or providers not available on a ground ambulance and the air ambulance can provide this faster than the patient would receive such care at a receiving facility if transported by ground ambulance.
(b) Staffing requirements.--Minimum staffing standards for an air ambulance when dispatched to provide or when providing medical assessment, treatment, monitoring, observation or transportation of a patient is one pilot and two EMS providers other than the pilot who are above the advanced EMT level, with at least one of those two EMS providers specially trained in air medical transport.