(a) The department is authorized to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the protection of the public health:

(1) Prescribing reasonable health, sanitation, and safety standards for transporting patients in ambulances;

(2) Prescribing reasonable conditions under which ambulance attendants are required;

(3) Establishing criteria for the training of ambulance attendants and prescribing further, that ambulance attendants prior to employment as such must have completed the American Red Cross advanced first-aid course and an approved cardiopulmonary resuscitation course or other courses deemed equivalent by the department. Within nine months of initial employment an attendant must complete an approved emergency medical technician course with required tests and be certified as an emergency medical technician in this state; and

(4) The emergency medical technician course is to be offered at area hospitals and area technical vocational schools in conjunction with their emergency patient care and personnel training programs.

(b) Nothing in this Code section shall authorize the department to adopt and promulgate rules or regulations which shall prevent the continued use of dual purpose funeral coaches or hearses currently being used as ambulances if the vehicles otherwise conform in all respects to the requirements of Code Section 31-11-34, except for their size and shape.