For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
Advanced life support.
Emergency pre-hospital care provided by a certified or licensed, emergency medical technician-intermediate or an emergency medical technician paramedic using invasive medical acts under the medical supervision and control of a licensed physician.
Ambulance.
Any motor vehicle or other mode of transportation used, designed or redesigned, and equipped for the primary purpose of the transportation of sick or injured persons, whether functioning as a basic life support, advanced life support or mobile intensive care unit service level as provided by state law and this chapter.
Applicant.
Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity that makes application to obtain a franchise to operate within the city limits of the City of Brenham.
Basic life support.
Emergency pre-hospital care provided by a certified or licensed pre-hospital care provider using non-invasive medical acts. The provision of basic life support may be under the medical supervision and control of a licensed physician.
Basic life support emergency medical services vehicle.
A vehicle that is designed for transporting the sick or injured, has personnel and sufficient equipment and supplies for providing basic life support, is capable of providing emergency and nonemergency transportation, and is properly certified or licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a basic life support emergency medical services vehicle.
City.
The City of Brenham, Texas.
Emergency.
An emergency is any circumstance that calls for an immediate action and which the element of time in transporting the sick, wounded or injured for medical treatment is essential to the health or life of any person. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, general accidents, traffic accidents and acts of violence resulting in personal injury, sudden illness, and any patient with vital signs outside of normal parameters.
Emergency ambulance.
Any ambulance responding to an emergency call using warning lights or horns or sirens.
Emergency call.
A telephone call or other similar communication from a member of the public or other person, as part of a 9-1-1 system or other emergency access communication system, made to obtain emergency medical services.
Emergency care attendant (ECA).
Any person certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services as minimally proficient to provide emergency pre-hospital care by providing initial aid that promotes comfort and avoids aggravation of an injury or illness, as regulated by the Texas Health and Safety Code and relevant regulations.
Emergency medical care.
Services provided after the sudden onset of a medical or traumatic condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in: placing the patient’s health in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
Emergency medical service.
Response to an individual’s perceived need for immediate medical care and to prevent death or aggravation of physiological or psychological illness or injury.
Emergency medical service personnel.
Any person certified by the Texas Department of State Health Service as: An emergency care attendant, an emergency medical technician, an emergency medical technician–Intermediate, an emergency medical technician–Paramedic, or a licensed paramedic.
Emergency medical service provider (EMS).
The Emergency Medical Service Department of Washington County, which uses or maintains emergency medical service vehicles and emergency medical service personnel to provide emergency medical care of the sick or injured and non-emergency transportation, and including other providers serving in an emergency capacity pursuant to subsection 4-16(4) of this chapter.
Emergency medical technician (EMT).
Any person certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services as minimally proficient to perform emergency pre-hospital care that is necessary for basic life support that includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the control of hemorrhaging, as regulated by the Texas Health and Safety Code and relevant regulations.
Emergency medical technician–Intermediate (EMT-I).
Any person certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services as minimally proficient to provide emergency pre-hospital care by initiating, under medical supervision, certain procedures, including intravenous therapy and endotracheal or esophageal intubation, as regulated by the Texas Health and Safety Code and relevant regulations.
Emergency medical technician–Paramedic (EMT-P).
Any person certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services as minimally proficient to provide advanced life support by initiating, under medical supervision, certain procedures, including intravenous therapy, endotracheal or esophageal intubation, electrical cardiac defibrillation or cardioversion, and drug therapy, as regulated by the Texas Health and Safety Code and relevant regulations.
Emergency pre-hospital care.
Care provided to the sick or injured before or during transportation to a medical facility, and includes any necessary stabilization of the sick or injured in connection with that transportation.
Emergency transfer.
The immediate transportation (from 9-1-1 calls or standard telephone direct) of the sick, injured or potentially sick or injured patient in an ambulance requiring any or all of the following: Continuing assessment of the patient, monitoring of EKG, administration or monitoring of intravenous fluids or medications, and/or airway maintenance of any kind. All transfers from an emergency room to another medical facility is considered an emergency.
Emergency transfer request.
A request made by a physician directly or through a registered nurse for an emergency transfer.
Medical facility.
Any building or place of business established for the purpose of examination or treatment by a licensed physician of individuals that are sick or injured.
Mobile intensive care unit.
A vehicle that is designed to provide advanced life support emergency medical services and has personnel and sufficient equipment and supplies to provide cardiac monitoring, defibrillation, cardioversion, drug therapy, and two-way radio communication.
Non-emergency transfer.
The transportation of persons not involving an emergency transfer. Transfers to/from medical facilities to/from residential facilities that do not require any of the services or treatments defined in emergency medical care are to be considered non-emergency transfers.
Nurse/paramedic.
An individual who is certified as an EMT–Paramedic and, in addition, holds a state license as a registered nurse.
Person.
An individual, corporation, organization, business, trust, partnership, association or any other legal entity.
(Ordinance O-10-022, sec. 1, adopted 1/6/11)
The operation of emergency and non-emergency ambulances within the city limits of the City of Brenham for furnishing medical service operations is hereby declared to be a primary governmental function necessary to protect health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Brenham.
(Ordinance O-10-022, sec. 1, adopted 1/6/11)
It shall be unlawful for any person to furnish, operate, advertise or otherwise engage or profess to be engaged in the operation of an emergency or non-emergency ambulance upon the streets of Brenham unless said person is:
(1) 
A member of the Washington County EMS Department performing official duties;
(2) 
An approved, licensed, and franchised non-emergency ambulance service provider operating in compliance with the rules and regulations of this chapter;
(3) 
An employee of a political subdivision or agency of the state;
(4) 
A person providing service to or from a medical facility located in the City of Brenham going to or from a medical facility located outside of the city limits of Brenham using an ambulance that is licensed as a specialty care transport vehicle and meets or exceeds the level of care that Washington County EMS Department provides;
(5) 
Non-emergency transfer services operated by a medical facility or other entity, for patients, residents or members of said medical facility or other entity, with no separate charge for such transfer, and that same medical facility of entity does not solicit or provide transfer business outside itself;
(6) 
Any person meeting requirements of the State of Texas for personnel, vehicles and equipment who responds to a request from the City of Brenham, the Washington County EMS Director or the city’s emergency management coordinator to lend assistance when a major disaster or other event results in emergency calls exceeding the capacity of the Washington County EMS Department;
(7) 
A person transporting a sick or injured person to medical care as an individual citizen not ordinarily engaged in that activity; or
(8) 
A person or vehicle travelling through the City of Brenham on a call that neither originates nor ends within the City of Brenham.
(Ordinance O-10-022, sec. 1, adopted 1/6/11)