Bureau of Emergency Medical Services

What it does

• Provides emergency medical services and patient transportation within its remit.Arts. 5.01, 5.06 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
• Coordinates services and collaboration agreements with other agencies, municipalities, and institutions.Art. 5.04(c) ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
• Establishes operational procedures and manages bureau resources under its commissioner’s leadership.Arts. 5.02, 5.05–5.06 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

In everyday life

Medical response and patient transport are emergency medical system functions, while receiving the call belongs to the 9-1-1 system. These are complementary, distinct functions.Arts. 3.01, 5.01 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

How to distinguish it from other institutions

The 9-1-1 system routes calls; this bureau performs medical response and transportation functions. A call and delivery of the service are different stages.Arts. 3.01, 5.01 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

Its prehospital role does not mean it administers every hospital or health-care provider. The law recognizes collaboration with other public and private institutions.Arts. 5.01, 5.04(c) ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

Official services and information

• Functions and administrative contacts ↗

Confirm requirements, forms, and schedules on the linked official portal.

Where it fits

• Component of: Department of Public Safety Art. 1.06 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026
• Its leadership is appointed by: Office of the Governor Art. 5.02 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

Map groupings support navigation; they do not themselves establish reporting authority.

Legal basis

Act 20-2017, chapter 5, especially arts. 5.01–5.06, as amended. The bureau succeeds the former Emergency Medical Corps.Cap. 5; Art. 1.06(c) ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

The enabling reference is a reading aid. Consult applicable texts and amendments in official sources; directory cards can retain older references.

Leadership & appointments

Emergency Medical Services Bureau commissioner

The commissioner directs daily operations and is appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Immediate administrative supervision belongs to the Secretary of Public Safety.Art. 5.02 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

A name is not published without current verification of the role.

Appointment

Verification pending

Confirmation

Verification pending

Term end

Verification pending

An absent name does not imply a vacancy. Names from the seed report are not automatically treated as current officeholders.

Governance & composition

The law provides for a commissioner under the Secretary of Public Safety’s supervision rather than a corporate governing board. Statutory coordination committees serve different purposes.Arts. 1.06, 5.02 ↗ · Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

Sources consulted: Oct 18, 2026

Sources & method

The consultation date is not the institution’s own update date.

1. Negociado del Cuerpo de Emergencias Médicas de Puerto Rico ↗https://www.dsp.pr.gov/negociados/negociado-del-cuerpo-de-emergencias-medicas-de-puerto-ricoSources consulted: Oct 17, 2026
2. PR.gov — Negociado del Cuerpo de Emergencias Médicas ↗https://pr.gov/directorio-de-agencias/cuerpo-de-emergencias-medicas-cem-aSources consulted: Oct 17, 2026
3. Ley 20-2017 — Departamento de Seguridad Pública (compilación OGP) ↗https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/LeyesOrganicas/Pages/20-2017.pdfSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026 · Document revised: Jul 17, 2026
4. Negociado del Cuerpo de Emergencias Médicas — funciones ↗https://www.cempr.pr.gov/sobre-nosotrosSources consulted: Oct 18, 2026