[6-16-2003; amended 4-5-2010(2); 10-5-2015; 8-2-2021]
A. 
The categories of ambulance services are determined by the patient's condition and not by the type of vehicle used in transport. Furthermore, regardless of fees charged, there is never a cost to Village of Thornton residents beyond what Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies pay.
B. 
The fees for the ambulance services shall be as follows:
1. 
Resident service fees:
a. 
Basic life support: $1,300.
b. 
Advanced life support Level 1: $1,300.
c. 
Advanced life support Level 2: $1,300.
d. 
Mileage: $18 per mile.
e. 
Refusal of transportation services after treatment: $300.
2. 
Nonresident service fees:
a. 
Basic life support: $1,800.
b. 
Advanced life support Level 1: $1,800.
c. 
Advanced life support Level 2: $1,800.
d. 
Mileage: $18 per mile.
e. 
Refusal of transportation services after treatment: $350.
[8-2-2021]
A. 
The Village of Thornton shall initiate mitigation rates for the delivery of emergency and nonemergency services by the Fire Department for personnel, supplies and equipment to the scene of emergency and nonemergency incidents as listed in Subsection D. The mitigation rates shall be based on actual costs of the services and those which are usual, customary and reasonable (UCR) as shown in Subsection D, which may include any services, personnel, supplies, and equipment, and with baselines established by this section.
B. 
A claim shall be filed to the responsible party(s) through their insurance carrier. In some circumstances, the responsible party(s) will be billed directly. Regardless of fees charged, there will never be a cost to Village of Thornton residents beyond what insurance pays.
C. 
The Village Board may make rules or regulations and from time to time may amend, revoke, or add rules and regulations, not inconsistent with this section, as it may deem necessary or expedient with respect to billing for these mitigation rates or the collection thereof.
D. 
Mitigation rates. The mitigation rates below are average "billing levels," and are typical for the incident responses listed; however, when a claim is submitted, it may be itemized and based on the actual services provided. The rates are on a per-hour basis. These rates are based on actual costs using amortized schedules for apparatus (including useful life, equipment, repairs, and maintenance). Labor rates include an average department's actual burdened labor costs and not just a firefighter's wage. These include wages, retirement, benefits, workers comp, etc. Said rates listed below shall increase by 1.5% annually or based on the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, whichever is more. Rate adjustments shall occur at the beginning of each Village fiscal year to keep the Fire Department's cost recovery program in conformity with increasing operating expenses.
1. 
Motor vehicle incidents:
a. 
Level 1: $506.
Provide hazardous materials assessment and scene stabilization. This will be the most common billing level. This occurs almost every time the Fire Department responds to an accident/incident.
b. 
Level 2: $576.
Includes Level 1 services as well as cleanup and material used (sorbents) for hazardous fluid cleanup and disposal. We will bill at this level if the Fire Department has to clean up any gasoline or other automotive fluids that are spilled as a result of the accident/incident.
c. 
Level 3 - car fire: $704.
Provide scene safety, fire suppression, breathing air, rescue tools, hand tools, hose, tip use, foam, structure protection, and clean up gasoline or other automotive fluids that are spilled as a result of the accident/incident.
2. 
Add-on services:
a. 
Extrication: $1,520.
Includes heavy rescue tools, ropes, airbags, cribbing, etc. This charge will be added if the Fire Department has to free/remove anyone from the vehicle(s) using any equipment. We will not bill at this level if the patient is simply unconscious and the Fire Department is able to open the door to access the patient. This level is to be billed only if equipment is deployed.
b. 
Creating a Landing Zone: $465.
Includes Air Care (multi-engine company response, mutual aid, helicopter). We will bill at this level any time a helicopter landing zone is created and/or is utilized to transport the patient(s).
c. 
Itemized Response: You have the option to bill each incident as an independent event with custom mitigation rates, for each incident, using itemized rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable (UCR). These incidents will be billed, itemized per apparatus, per personnel, plus products and equipment used.
3. 
HAZMAT:
a. 
Level 1: $816.
Basic response: Claim will include engine response, first responder assignment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, set-up and command.
b. 
Level 2: $2,913.
Intermediate response: Claim will include engine response, first responder assignment, HAZMAT-certified team and appropriate equipment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, set-up and command, Level A or B suit donning, breathing air and detection equipment. Set-up and removal of decon center.
c. 
Level 3: $6,875.
Advanced response: Claim will include engine response, first responder assignment, HAZMAT-certified team and appropriate equipment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first responder set-up and command, Level A or B suit donning, breathing air and detection equipment and robot deployment. Set-up and removal of decon center, detection equipment, recovery and identification of material. Disposal and environment cleanup. Includes above in addition to any disposal rates of material and contaminated equipment and material used at scene. Includes three hours of on-scene time; each additional hour @ $336 per HAZMAT team.
4. 
Fire investigation:
a. 
Fire Investigation Team: $321 per hour. Includes:
(1) 
Scene safety.
(2) 
Investigation.
(3) 
Source identification.
(4) 
K-9/Arson dog unit.
(5) 
Identification equipment.
(6) 
Mobile detection unit.
(7) 
Fire report.
b. 
The claim begins when the Fire Investigator responds to the incident and is billed for logged time only.
5. 
Water incidents.
a. 
Level 1: Billed at $466 plus $58 per hour, per rescue person.
Basic response: Claim will include engine response, first responder assignment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first responder set-up and command, scene safety and investigation (including possible patient contact, hazard control). This will be the most common billing level. This occurs almost every time the Fire Department responds to a water incident.
b. 
Level 2: Billed at $932 plus $58 per hour, per rescue person.
Intermediate response: Includes Level 1 services as well as cleanup and material used (sorbents), minor hazardous cleanup and disposal. We will bill at this level if the Fire Department has to clean up small amounts of gasoline or other fluids that are spilled as a result of the incident.
c. 
Level 3: Billed at $2,3304 plus $58 per hour per rescue person, plus $117 per hour per HAZMAT team member.
Advanced response: Includes Level 1 and Level 2 services as well as D.A.R.T. activation, donning breathing apparatus and detection equipment. Setup and removal of decon center, detection equipment, recovery and identification of material. Disposal and environment cleanup. Includes above in addition to any disposal rates of material and contaminated equipment and material used at scene.
d. 
Level 4: itemized response. You have the option to bill each incident as an independent event with custom mitigation rates for each incident using itemized rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable (UCR). These incidents will be billed, itemized, per trained rescue person, plus rescue products used.
6. 
Chief response: Billed at $291 per hour.
This includes the set-up of Command, and providing direction of the incident. This could include operations, safety, and administration of the incident.
7. 
Miscellaneous/Additional time on-scene.
a. 
Additional time on-scene (for all levels of service):
(1) 
Engine billed at $466 per hour.
(2) 
Truck billed at $582 per hour.
(3) 
Miscellaneous equipment billed at $350.
b. 
Mitigation rate notes.
(1) 
The mitigation rates above are average "billing levels" for one hour of service, and are typical for the incident responses listed; however, when a claim is submitted, it may be itemized and based on the actual services provided.
(2) 
These average mitigation rates were determined by itemizing costs for a typical run (from the time a fire apparatus leaves the station until it returns to the station) and are based on the actual costs, using amortized schedules for apparatus (including useful life, equipment, repairs, and maintenance) and labor rates (an average department's "actual personnel expense" and not just a firefighter's basic wage). The actual personnel expense includes costs such as wages, retirement, benefits, workers comp, insurance, etc.