[Adopted 2-25-2015 by Ord. No. 317 as Ch. 7, Art. IV, of the 2015 Pittsfield Charter Township Code; amended in its entirety 4-27-2016 by Ord. No. 323]
This article is adopted to provide for assessment and collection of a fee for certain emergency services in an amount equivalent to cost of the service provided.
The following terms, phrases, words, and their definitions shall have the meanings herein, unless the context otherwise requires:
EMERGENCY RESPONSE OR SERVICE
A response by police, fire, ambulance, or other emergency responder requested by personnel of the Township Public Safety Department to an emergency incident or call for assistance to an emergency response situation, technical rescue, or a Public Safety Department response to an event.
EMERGENCY SERVICE FEE
The cost incurred by the Township as a result of providing emergency police, fire, or ambulance and inhalator services to a person within the Township and includes, but is not limited to, the following:
A. 
Costs or expenses incurred by the Township Public Safety Department and other public officials or bodies, including all actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the emergency service; the costs of equipment, operations, and personnel; the cost of materials used in the incident; and other incidental costs and/or expenses incurred by the Township.
B. 
Other costs and expenses incurred by the Township in providing the emergency service, including equipment, labor, consultants, legal and engineering fees, the replacement cost of extinguishing agents, and the cost of supplies used in the incident.
C. 
The costs incurred in accounting for the emergency services rendered, including billing and collection costs, actual attorney fees incurred for collection of an emergency fee under this article, and dispatch costs.
NONRESIDENT
A person or entity that does not reside or have a principal office or place of business within the Township, and that does not pay property taxes in the Township. An employee, agent or contractor of a business or an owner of residential property in the Township is a nonresident unless the person owns a business or property and pays taxes to the Township. An owner of property that is exempt from property taxes is excluded from this definition and is considered a resident for the purpose of this article.
RESPONSIBLE PARTY
Any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, consortium, governmental entity, or any other legal entity that causes or is responsible for an emergency response situation as described in § 7-17.
SPECIAL EVENT
An event or occasion occurring on a nonpermanent basis, such as a celebration, festival or temporary display, which is different than the normal lawful use of the premises where the event is to be held.
TECHNICAL RESCUE
All services rendered to save life or property that employ the use of tools and skills that exceed those normally needed for firefighting, medical emergency, and rescue. Technical rescue includes but is not limited to:
A. 
Rope rescue.
B. 
Structural collapse search and rescue.
C. 
Confined space search and rescue.
D. 
Vehicle search and rescue.
E. 
Wilderness search and rescue.
F. 
Trench and excavation search and rescue.
G. 
Machinery search and rescue.
H. 
Cave search and rescue.
I. 
Mine and tunnel search and rescue.
J. 
Helicopter search and rescue.
K. 
Tower rescue.
L. 
Animal technical rescue.
A. 
An emergency service fee as defined in this article shall be assessed against any responsible party or parties who cause an extraordinary emergency service to be provided to, for or on behalf of the responsible party or any other person. An extraordinary emergency service is considered to be provided under the following circumstances:
(1) 
Medical first response, technical rescue, extrication, or other Public Safety Department services provided for any accident or fire involving or related to any motor vehicle, trailer, aircraft, boat, snowmobile, watercraft, or other vehicle owned or operated by a responsible person who is a nonresident of the Township.
(2) 
Public Safety Department response to any fire, which could be set with a permit, but for which a permit was not obtained.
(3) 
Public Safety Department response to an illegal fire, such as burning tires, processed lumber, or other fires contrary to law or the Township's ordinances.
(4) 
Public Safety Department response to an activity, event, or incident in violation of applicable laws, ordinances, or regulations, such as illegal use of fireworks, malicious destruction of property, or other illegal activity, event, or incident or to a special event for which prior Township approval was not obtained.
(5) 
Technical rescue in cases in which the responsible person is a resident of the Township, except that a Township resident shall only be responsible for emergency service fees which are attributable to services provided by agencies other than Township agencies.
B. 
Persons responsible for an emergency service fee under this article shall be jointly and severally liable for a fee assessed under this article.
Whenever it is determined by the Director of Public Safety or his/her designee that a person is a responsible party under this article for an emergency service fee under § 7-17, an invoice for an emergency service fee as defined in § 7-16 shall be delivered by first class mail to the responsible party or parties responsible for the emergency service fee. The invoice shall be due and payable within 30 days of the date of invoice or mailing date, whichever is later.
The Township may pursue any legal remedy or initiate any appropriate action or proceeding as provided by law to collect an emergency service fee assessed under this article. When a particular emergency service is provided to more than one person or property, each responsible person benefited and each responsible property owner benefited shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of the invoice in full for the emergency services rendered.