No person shall operate or cause to be operated in the city
any ambulance or other emergency medical service vehicle used or equipped
for the transportation or conveyance of the sick or injured without
first having secured a permit from the city.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.330)
No permit shall be required for:
(1)
The
contracted EMS provider operating an ambulance in the city.
(2)
Any
licensed ambulance provider when called upon by the city to render
assistance during a catastrophe or major emergency when the ambulances
authorized to operate in the city by permit are either insufficient
in number or inadequate for any other reason.
(3)
Any
licensed ambulance provider operating from a location outside the
city and transporting any patient from a point of origin outside the
city to a destination inside the city.
(4)
Any
licensed provider operating under the contracted city EMS provider’s
written mutual aid/coverage agreements.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.331)
Applications for a provider permit for the operation of ambulance
service within the city shall be in written form prescribed by the
city, signed and sworn to by the applicant, and shall be filed with
the city secretary.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.332)
(b)
No
person shall operate or allow the operation of any ambulance for which
a permit has been issued under this article on an emergency call unless
such ambulance is attended by:
(1)
At least two emergency care attendants (ECA), emergency medical technician
basics (EMT-B), emergency medical technician intermediates (EMT-I),
emergency medical technician paramedics (EMT-P) or any combination
of the above two certified personnel meeting the provisions of this
article.
(2)
Persons acting under the direction of the incident commander at the
scene when a mass casualty incident has occurred.
(c)
No
person shall operate or allow the operation of any ambulance for which
a permit has been issued under this article on an emergency call unless
such ambulance is equipped with at least:
(1)
The minimum equipment and supplies as required by the state for a
basic life support (BLS) up to mobile intensive care unit (MICU);
(2)
The minimum equipment and supplies as required by the state for a
basic life support ambulance (BLS); or
(3)
For response to mass casualty incidents or non-emergency medical
calls, the minimum equipment and supplies as required by the state
for a basic life support ambulance (BLS).
(d)
Permit
holders operating ambulance service within the city shall be capable
of communicating to the fire department and Hill County SO dispatch
via assigned two-way radio frequency.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.333)
The city secretary shall issue a permit required by this article only if the ambulance provider meets all requirements of this article. Permits may be revoked, altered or suspended by the city in accordance with sections 6.03.076 and 6.03.077.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.334)
Every permit issued hereunder shall be subject to revocation,
alteration or suspension by the city where it shall appear that one
or more of the following conditions exist:
(1)
The
permit was obtained by an application in which any material fact was
intentionally omitted or falsely stated;
(2)
The
permit holder has persisted in permitting emergency medical service
vehicles to be operated in violation of any law;
(3)
The
permit holder has willfully and knowingly violated or failed to comply
with any of the provisions hereof;
(4)
The
permit holder’s insurance, as required herein, has been cancelled,
withdrawn or terminated.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.335)
(a)
The
city may at any time give notice in writing to a permit holder or
other person in control of the operation and maintenance of such ambulance
service that the permit issued for the operation and maintenance of
such ambulance service has been revoked. The notice of revocation
shall become a final revocation after the expiration of five days
from the date of the service of same unless, on or before the expiration
of such five days, the permit holder shall file with the city secretary
a written appeal of such revocation.
(b)
The
appeal shall operate as a stay of revocation of the permit issued
until such time as the city council shall grant a hearing and make
a final adjudication. The hearing shall be held within 30 days after
the date of filing of the appeal, and such action and judgment of
the council, after hearing all the evidence and facts, shall be final
and conclusive as to all parties.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.336)
(a)
No permit shall be issued unless the applicant therefor shall have paid an initial permit application fee as provided in appendix A to this code payable in advance with the application to the city for the right to engage in the ambulance business in and upon the public streets and thoroughfares of the city. Each permit issued hereunder shall be valid for one calendar year beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of such year, and any ambulance provider desiring to continue operations hereunder shall make application for renewal of permit prior to December 1 of any year for the privilege of operating during the following calendar year. Renewal applications for permits shall be accompanied by a fee as provided in appendix A to this code. The permit application fees herein shall be nonrefundable.
(b)
The
amount of the permit fee herein prescribed shall not be prorated for
fractional parts of a calendar year, nor shall it relieve the ambulance
provider from the necessity of obtaining any federal, state or county
occupation license or any other requirement established by statute.
Permits issued hereunder shall not be transferable or assignable without
the consent of the city council.
(c)
Any
ambulance provider that is contracted with the city shall be exempt
from the permit fees as listed above so long as they are under contract
with the city.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.337)
Each operator shall purchase and keep in full force and effect
public liability insurance in the amount of not less than $1,000,000.00
for each person, $1,000,000.00 for each accident, and $100,000.00
for property damage, to secure payment of all lawful and proper claims
arising out of the operations of the ambulance service authorized
hereunder. A written statement from an authorized agent of the operator’s
insurance carrier verifying the issuance of such insurance shall be
filed with the city secretary before any certificate or permit may
be issued. All such verifications of insurance shall provide for a
30-day cancellation notice to the city.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.338)
By acceptance of a permit authorized to be issued pursuant to
this article, any ambulance provider expressly stipulates and agrees
to be bound by the terms of this article and comply with the provisions
contained herein.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.339)
Any ambulance provider who currently operates non-emergency
and/or emergency service within the city and who possesses a city
previously issued permit shall not be required to file an original
application.
(Ordinance adopted 5/16/06, sec.
4.340)
