Ambulance service shall be operated by the fire department and
shall be under the supervision and control of the chief of the fire
department and subject to the rules and regulations set forth in this
article and subject to any rules and regulations which may be established
by ordinance, resolution, or order of the city council.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(A)(2)]
Requests for emergency ambulance service shall be made to the
police and/or fire department. Calls shall be answered by the fire
department of the city. Ambulance attendants shall have the authority
to pick up any injured or sick persons from public or private property
whenever the need arises and also when and if requested by some person
responsible for the sick and injured person. Only emergency ambulance
calls will be answered. Emergency shall include very severely sick
person or persons who are immobile and require transportation to a
local hospital.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(B)]
Emergency medical service shall be provided within the corporate
limits of the city and to other such cities where a mutual aid agreement
may be established if such city has its own city operated emergency
medical service.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(A)(1)]
Ambulance service will be provided to persons outside the city
when:
(a) A mutual
aid agreement has been agreed upon and approved by the city council
and fire chief.
(b) Any
emergency shall be determined to be an emergency by the authority
of the fire chief of the city or by the acting chief in the event
of the fire chief's absence.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(C)]
It shall be the sole responsibility of the fire department person
in charge of the ambulance at the emergency scene as to which hospital
the patient will be taken, based on the hospital's capability and
severity of the case.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(D)]
The fees and charges for the use of the city emergency medical services shall be as provided in appendix
A.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(E)]
(a) The
fire chief, or his authorized representative, will be responsible
for:
(1) The
billing of charges and sending statements.
(2) Receiving
payments for services.
(3) Forwarding
received payments to the city.
(b) The
person transported, or in the event such person is a minor or incompetent,
such person's parent or guardian, shall be responsible for the fees
or charges incurred for the city emergency medical service. Such fees
or charges shall be payable to the City of Richland Hills, 3201 Diana
Drive, Richland Hills, Texas 76118.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(F)]
It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully inform the
police/fire dispatcher, or other police or fire official that an emergency
medical service is needed at a location or address when such person
knows that such statement is false.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(G)]
This article is not to limit a subsidy plan with any other municipal
government if approved by the majority of the city council.
[Code 1984, ch. 1, § 12(H)]