[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Maple Shade as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Adopted 2-9-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-04]
The purpose of this article is to establish requirements for
transportation services for nursing homes.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any private hospital, institution, care center, convalescent home, nursing home, and any other establishment or institution for the care, treatment, lodging or nursing of persons mentally ill, mentally deficient or mentally or developmentally delayed or disabled, acutely or chronically ill, or who are convalescent, infirm or in any way afflicted, or who reside therein for any purpose whatsoever. The definition of "nursing home" as set forth in Chapter 135 shall also be incorporated herein.
All nursing homes within the Township of Maple Shade, County
of Burlington, State of New Jersey shall be and are hereby required
to own, lease, rent, possess, or have immediately available an ambulance
or van-type vehicle suitable to be used as an ambulance for the conveyance
of nonambulatory as well as emergency patients as the need so arises.
A.
All nursing homes, as defined in this article, shall file proof of
the availability of such emergency vehicles with the Township Manager's
Office of the Township of Maple Shade within 60 days from the final
passage of this article and on or before January 1 of each and every
year thereafter. The emergency vehicle shall be maintained in proper
working order so as to be able to serve the transportation needs of
the population and patients receiving services from the facility,
at all times.
B.
Any nursing home, as defined in this article, that fails to file
proof of availability of such vehicles, or calls upon the Township
of Maple Shade's emergency services for assistance and/or transportation
of patients for emergent or nonemergent reasons, shall be in violation
of this article.
C.
If, after 60 days from the final passage of this article and on or
before January 1 of each and every year thereafter, the nursing home
fails to file proof of such emergency vehicles with the Township Manager's
Office of the Township of Maple Shade, the Township Manager's
Office shall notify the Manager's Designee of the nursing home's
violation of this article.
D.
Should a nursing home contact the Maple Shade Police Department or
Maple Shade First Aid Squad for assistance, the Police or First Aid
shall make the determination if the call for assistance was warranted.
If it is determined that the call for assistance was not warranted,
that particular entity of the Township of Maple Shade shall notify
the Maple Shade Manager's designee that the nursing home is in
violation of this article.
Any person or entity violating any of the provisions of this
chapter, including the provision of filing the details and proof of
the availability of such emergency vehicles to the nursing home and
the requirement to post the information to ensure that nursing home
personnel are cognizant of the procedure to contact the transportation
service shall be liable to pay a fine of $500 per day for each offense.
In the event the nursing home does not substantially follow
the methodology set forth in this chapter with regard to a primary
and secondary contact for transportation arrangements but rather knowingly
contacts the Maple Shade First Aid for such transportation, First
Aid may file a complaint in the Municipal Court against such person
or entity and the penalty in such event will be a fine of $500 for
the first violation and a minimum fine of $1,250 for each and every
violation thereafter.
