[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Trappe 8-4-2020 by Ord. No. 456. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as the "Trappe Borough Emergency Service Cost Reimbursement Ordinance."
A. 
Authority. Under Section 1202 of the Borough Code, 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1202, and the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act, 35 P.S. § 6022.101 et seq., the Borough has the authority to make rules and regulations for the government of fire services and emergency services located within the Borough.
B. 
Findings. The Borough recognizes that the duties of volunteer fire companies and ambulance services require specialized emergency rescue tools and equipment, and hazardous abatement materials during emergency responses. The Borough recognizes that such tools and equipment place a financial burden on volunteer fire companies, and ambulance services and the replacement of such material and specialized training add to the additional financial burden for volunteer fire companies and ambulance services.
C. 
Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to grant any fire company ("Fire Departments") and emergency medical ambulance service ("EMS") operating in Trappe Borough the authority to seek reimbursement for the reasonable cost of responding to such incidents, either directly or in coordination with the Borough's Office of Emergency Management, as provided below.
A. 
The Borough authorizes the Fire Departments, EMS and the Borough of Trappe to recover the reasonable cost of emergency rescue tools, equipment, and materials; hazardous material abatement tools, equipment, and materials; and incurred third-party expenses involving any hazardous material, environmental, fire safety, and/or rescue incident or operation, including vehicular accidents.
B. 
The reasonable costs outlined above may be recovered directly by the Fire Departments, EMS and Borough of Trappe or through a third-party billing service as an authorized agent for the collection of such costs.
C. 
The Fire Departments, EMS, Borough of Trappe, or third-party billing service shall only have the authority to recover the aforementioned costs from the applicable insurance company/carrier, or in the case of a self-insured corporate/partnership entity, from the corporation or partnership.
D. 
The reimbursement rates for the aforementioned tools, equipment, and the materials shall be set by the Fire Departments, EMS and Borough of Trappe from time to time. These rates shall be approved by Trappe Borough Council and shall be kept on file in the Borough Building.
E. 
In addition to the aforementioned reasonable costs, the Fire Departments, EMS, Borough of Trappe or third-party billing service shall be authorized to collect reasonable interest, as well as a reasonable administrative fee for collecting the same, and any and all fees as may be authorized by the Hazardous Material and Emergency Planning and Response Act or authorized by any other statute or law.
Except for the costs incurred by the Borough of Trappe, the Borough shall not take any steps to assist the Fire Departments, EMS, or any third-party billing service in recovery of costs under the chapter.
Any attempt by a Fire Department, EMS or third-party billing service to recover costs from any individual/entity other than the appropriate insurance company/carrier or self-insured entity shall result in the immediate revocation of the authority to recover such costs granted under this chapter.