Services shall be reimbursable whenever a Fire Department vehicle
and equipment respond to an emergency rescue incident. Said emergency
shall include, but not be limited to, a motor vehicle accident, hazardous
material spill or technical rescue incident. Emergency services provided
shall include, but not be limited to, extrication by the use of any
specialized equipment. Fees for incidents involve multiple vehicles
shall be established on a per-vehicle basis.
Any recipient of services herein specified shall provide the
Fire Department with his or her name, address and telephone number,
as well as the name, address and telephone number of his or her insurance
carrier, if applicable.
A.
The Fire Department response to rescue shall be reimbursed as follows:
(1)
Light rescue: $314.
(a)
Operations such as stabilizations, use of hand tools, hazard
control and other related light rescue.
(2)
Medium Rescue: $629.
(a)
Operations include the use of power tools and hydraulic rescue
tools to perform activities such as opening or removing doors to provide
access to patients as well as stabilizing vehicles and performing
hazardous assessment.
(3)
Heavy rescue: $1,259.
(a)
Operations include any technical rescue procedures, including
but not limited to water and ice rescue, rope rescue, confined space
rescue, high-angle rescue, trench rescue or structural collapse rescue.
Motor vehicle rescue that includes the use of power tools and hydraulic
tools to perform operations such as partial or full roof removal,
front/dash displacement, third door access and separating vehicles
from one another.
(4)
Technical rescue: There shall be a fee charged for any technical
rescue response. Technical rescue includes rope rescue, trench rescue,
structural collapse rescue, confined space rescue, and water rescue.
Fees for technical rescue services shall be calculated using the following
guidelines.
[Added 6-25-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-44]
(a)
Manpower. All manpower fees shall be figured on a per person
rate based on that responders assigned position.
[1]
Chief: Contracted salary rate figured at an overtime rate of
1 1/2 times the hourly rate.
[2]
Officers: Top contracted salary figured at an overtime rate
of 1 1/2 times the hourly rate.
[3]
Firefighters: Top contracted salary rate figured at an overtime
rate of 1 1/2 times the hourly rate.
[4]
Emergency medical technician: Top contracted salary rate figured
at an overtime rate of 1 1/2 times the hourly rate.
(c)
Equipment. A fee shall be charged at replacement cost plus 10%
for any damaged equipment or equipment that has to be placed out of
service after an incident.
(d)
Contracted services. A fee shall be charged for permit-required
confined space rescue/recovery operations and standby services. Any
municipality or industrial business that operates or has the potential
to operate in permit-required confined spaces shall be assessed an
annual service fee as described below.
B.
As per Ordinance No. 2001-41 the above fees will increase 3% annually.
The Fire Department and Comptroller's Office shall establish
a third-party billing program to collect the aforesaid fees. Any applicable
charges for rescue services rendered to a person shall be billed to
said person and/or said person's insurance carrier.
The Fire Department has the duty to rescues, notwithstanding
the ability to pay or lack of insurance of the recipient of said rescue
services. The Fire Department shall not refuse nor delay any emergency
service to any person, firm, organization or company based on the
ability to pay or lack of insurance.
