City of North Tonawanda, NY Chapter 36A Emergency Services Cost Recovery

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of North Tonawanda 9-18-2012. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 36A-1 Program established.

The City hereby establishes a cost recovery program which allows the City to be reimbursed, to the extent legally permissible, by those individuals utilizing emergency services provided by the Fire Department. The fees are established in § 36A-2.

§ 36A-2 Fee schedule.

The following fee schedule shall apply to the Fire Department cost recovery program as required by § 36A-1 above:

A. Emergency services, minor.

[Amended 10-18-2022; 7-5-2023]

(1) Occupants assessed, minor: $175.

(a) Accidents in which occupants may have been assessed but signed medical treatment waivers denying medical treatment and/or transport.

(2) Standby/hazard control/cleanup, minor: $175.

(a) Minor spill control.

(b) Fire hazard precautions.

(c) Scene safety.

(d) Battery disconnects.

(e) Debris cleanup.

B. Standby/hazard control/cleanup, major: $400.

[Amended 10-18-2022]

(1) Significant spills resulting from tank leaks.

(2) Major fire hazard precautions.

(3) Vehicle stabilization procedures.

(4) Vehicle disentanglement.

(5) Multiple-personnel response.

C. Light rescue service: $400.

[Amended 10-18-2022]

(1) General patient handling.

(2) Immobilization, treatment and removal from a vehicle without the need for hydraulic or other power tools.

(3) Need for standing takedown immobilization procedures for occupants located outside of the vehicle.

(4) EMS treatment provided to patients struck by another vehicle.

D. Heavy rescue service: $600.

[Amended 10-18-2022]

(1) General extrication procedures requiring the use of hydraulic, pneumatic or electric power tools.

(2) Multiple-patient removal and/or treatment that requires extended on-scene time and extra personnel.

E. Hazmat response.

(1) Hazardous material control/standby: $400 to $1,050.

(a) Incidents involving commercial trucks, vans and motor carriers.

(b) Large amounts of spilled or released product.

(c) Requires extra personnel and equipment response for an extended period of time.

(2) If a DEC number is issued for a spill, the responsible party (not the auto insurance agency) will be billed directly for all actual costs, including costs to other departments and agencies. In this situation, if there is a need for other types of service, then the auto insurance agency may be billed also.

F. Fire suppression.

[Amended 10-18-2022]

(1) Motor vehicle fire response: $300.

(a) Auto fires.

(b) Heavy equipment fires.

G. Destroyed or contaminated equipment. Bill to recover the full cost of replacement of any destroyed or contaminated equipment at the scene of a rescue or Haz Mat incident.

[Added 10-18-2022; amended 7-5-2023]