The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
"Advanced life support services" or "ALS"
means services provided to a patient which exceed those basic services needed to maintain life.
"Ambulance"
means a vehicle equipped to provide basic life support, staffed by emergency medical technicians, based within the municipality and which conforms to state standards for such vehicles.
"Basic life support services" or "BLS"
means those services provided to a patient which are only those necessary to maintain life.
"Board"
means the emergency medical service board.
"Emergency"
means any situation requiring the service of a medical unit or ambulance.
"Emergency medical service system"
means a system which provides for the arrangement of personnel, facilities and equipment for the effective and coordinated delivery within the municipality of health care services under emergency conditions, occurring as a result of the patient's condition, or of natural disasters or similar situations, and which is administered by a public or private entity which has the resources to provide an effective system.
"Emergency medical technician"
means a person who has been specifically trained for basic life support through a recognized course and certified by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, or in accordance with state statutes.
"Medical units"
means those vehicles equipped to provide advanced life support, staffed by mobile intensive care paramedics, based within the municipality, and which shall conform with state standards for such vehicles.
"Mobile intensive care paramedic"
means a person who has been specifically trained for advanced life support through a recognized course and who has been certified by the emergency medical service board.
"Paramedic"
means a person who has been specifically trained for advanced life support through a recognized course and who has been certified by the emergency medical service board.
"Sponsor hospital"
means a medical treatment facility that provides emergency medical treatment for patients on a 24-hour basis and is utilized by the emergency medical service for training.
(AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83; AO No. 2001-145(S-1), § 14, 12-11-2001)
A. 
There is established under the direction of the municipal fire chief a division known as the emergency medical service.
B. 
The purpose of this chapter is to respond to the critical shortage of professionally trained medical personnel for the fast, efficient medical care of the sick and injured at the scene, during transport and in the emergency department of health care facilities. By establishing an emergency medical service, the municipality intends to reduce the mortality and morbidity rates during the initial treatment phases of the onset of an acute illness or following an accident.
(AO No. 255-76; AO No. 77-348A)
The municipal emergency medical service shall:
A. 
Be responsible for the effective operation of mobile intensive care units and ambulance units assigned to the municipal fire department.
B. 
Use mobile intensive care paramedics or emergency medical technicians for the delivery of emergency medical care to the sick and injured at the scene of an emergency, during transportation to a health care facility, while in the hospital emergency department until care responsibility is assumed by qualified hospital staff, and during training within the facilities of the sponsor hospitals.
C. 
Include an adequate number of health professions, allied health professions and other health personnel with appropriate training and experience to provide emergency medical services 24 hours a day within the municipality.
D. 
Provide an ongoing training program for emergency medical technicians as required to maintain certification with the state.
E. 
Provide an ongoing training program for mobile intensive care paramedics of not less than 36 hours' didactic training each year from date of certification. Individual paramedics shall be responsible for acquiring 36 hours of didactic training each year.
(AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 82-14)
A. 
Municipal mobile intensive care paramedics and emergency medical technicians will perform their mission to the level of their ability and training. They will be governed by the standing medical orders of the emergency medical service board, and department and division policy and procedures.
B. 
Municipal mobile intensive care paramedics will assume the medical responsibility for the effective operation at the scene, and will provide direction and supervision to the emergency medical technician and other emergency personnel assisting at the scene, relinquishing that responsibility only to supervisory personnel or an identified physician authorized to practice medicine in the state. Individual paramedics shall be responsible for acquiring an additional 36 hours of clinical training each year from date of certification.
C. 
Municipal emergency medical technicians will assume the medical responsibility for the effective operation at the scene, and will provide direction to other emergency personnel assisting at the scene, relinquishing that responsibility only to a mobile intensive care paramedic, supervisory personnel or an identified physician authorized to practice medicine in the state.
(AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 82-14; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83)
A. 
Establishment. There is established a board known as the emergency medical service board whose purpose is to provide the emergency medical service with professional guidance, and to perform those duties prescribed in this chapter.
B. 
Organization. The board shall consist of nine members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the assembly. At least six members of the board shall be physicians, and all members of the board shall be actively involved in the provision of health care services within the municipality. Each member shall be appointed for a term of three years. Members may be reappointed to serve additional terms. The board shall select from among its members a chairperson, who shall serve for a term of one year. The chief of the emergency medical service shall also serve as a nonvoting board member and shall provide such administrative and staff support as the board shall require.
C. 
Duties. The board shall:
1. 
Certify and recertify qualified persons as mobile intensive care paramedics (consistent with state law and regulations).
2. 
Establish standing medical orders for mobile intensive care paramedics and emergency medical technicians functioning in the municipal emergency medical service system.
3. 
Serve as a liaison between the emergency medical service and the medical community.
4. 
Take disciplinary actions allowed under section 16.95.050.
D. 
Chapter 4.05 shall apply to this board.
(AO No. 255-76; AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83; AO No. 2011-64(S-1), § 10, 6-28-2011)
A. 
Every applicant for certification as an emergency medical technician must submit to the emergency medical service board proof of satisfactory completion of an emergency medical technician course of not less than 81 hours and must meet the requirements of the federal Department of Transportation for emergency medical technicians. In addition, the applicant must be certified with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or in accordance with state statutes.
B. 
Every applicant for certification as a mobile intensive care paramedic must submit to the emergency medical service board, prior to receiving municipal certification, satisfactory proof of completion of a college level paramedic training program that is approved by the chief of the emergency medical service. Such training program must include but is not limited to training in the following subjects:
Cardiology.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Pharmacology.
Respiratory emergencies.
Noncardiac medical emergencies.
Poisoning and drug overdoses.
Thermal injuries.
Obstetrical emergencies.
Pediatric emergencies.
Traumatic emergencies.
Triage and mass casualty.
Approved training programs for mobile intensive care paramedics shall be conducted at sponsor hospitals under the direct supervision of a physician, registered nurse or clinical instructor, and shall provide practical experience in the clinical setting as prescribed by the program of instruction as approved.
(AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83)
Emergency medical technicians certified under this chapter may:
A. 
Render rescue using such methods as approved by the chief of the municipal fire department.
B. 
Administer emergency care and treatment to the sick and injured, at the scene of the emergency and en route to the hospital, under the direct supervision of a physician or a municipally certified paramedic or medical standing orders as prescribed by the emergency medical service board.
(AO No. 255-76; AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, mobile intensive care paramedics certified under this chapter may do any of the following:
A. 
Render rescue using such methods as approved by the chief of the municipal fire department.
B. 
Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation.
C. 
During training and while caring for patients in sponsor hospitals under the direct supervision of a physician, or while at the scene of a medical emergency when under specific standing orders, or in their absence where in voice contact with a physician and where such direct communication is maintained upon order of such physician:
1. 
Administer intravenous saline, glucose or volume expanding agents or solutions.
2. 
Perform pulmonary ventilation by use of oralpharyngeal, esophageal obturators, or endotracheal airway.
3. 
Obtain blood for laboratory analysis.
4. 
Apply rotating tourniquets.
5. 
Administer parenterally, orally or topically any of the following classes of drugs or solutions: antiarrhythmic agents, vagolytic agents, chronotropic agents, analgesic agents, alkalinizing agents, vasopressor agents, narcotic antagonists, diuretics, anticonvulsants, ophthalmic solution, antihistamines, bronchodilators and emetics.
6. 
Assume the medical responsibility of treatment administered by emergency medical technicians under their supervision and direction.
(AO No. 77-348A)
The chief of the emergency medical service or the emergency medical service board may, upon receipt of confirming evidence, revoke or suspend a certification or refuse to renew a certification of any emergency medical technician or mobile intensive care paramedic for:
A. 
Fraud or deceit in obtaining any certification required under this chapter.
B. 
Habitual overuse of alcoholic beverages or depressants, hallucinogenic or stimulant drugs as defined in AS 17.12.150(3), or addiction to the use of narcotic drugs as defined in AS 17.10.230(13).
C. 
Violating the Controlled Substances Act (PL 910513; 84 Stat. 1242), or any other federal law pertaining to medical practice and drugs.
D. 
Gross misconduct by a certified intensive care paramedic in the performance of his or her duties as a paramedic which tends to endanger human life or limb.
E. 
Willful violations of this chapter.
(AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83)
A. 
The emergency medical service board shall renew the certification of mobile intensive care paramedics and emergency medical technicians biannually upon successful completion of recertification testing by each paramedic as prescribed by the board.
B. 
Emergency medical technicians will be required to maintain certification as prescribed by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or Alaska Statutes.
(AO No. 77-348A; AO No. 84-33; AO No. 84-83)
No physician who, in good faith, gives emergency instructions to a paramedic at the scene of an emergency, or pursuant to an emergency while in transit to or in the emergency care facility of a hospital before responsibility is assumed by the hospital staff, shall be civilly liable as the result of issuing such instructions. Neither shall any paramedic be civilly liable as a result of complying with such instructions. Further, no paramedic shall be civilly liable who, in good faith, renders emergency services enumerated in this section to the sick or injured at the scene of an emergency or pursuant to an emergency while in transit to or in the emergency care facility of a hospital before responsibility is assumed by the hospital staff.
(AO No. 255-76; AO No. 77-348A)
A. 
In addition to a fee of $12.00 per loaded mile, the following costs of municipal ambulance transport shall be assessed to the patient:
1. 
Transport providing advanced life support services:
a. 
$950.00 for Municipality of Anchorage residents; and
b. 
$1,050.00 for non Municipality of Anchorage residents.
c. 
Advanced Life Support (ALS) services means a procedure that is, in accordance with state and local laws, beyond the scope and authority of an emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-Basic).
2. 
Transport providing basic life support services:
a. 
$800.00 for Municipality of Anchorage residents; and
b. 
$900.00 for non Municipality of Anchorage residents.
c. 
Basic life support (BLS) means transportation by ground ambulance vehicle, medically necessary supplies and services, plus the provision of BLS ambulance services.
B. 
For Municipality of Anchorage residents receiving volunteer ambulance transport services from the Chugiak Volunteer Fire Department, the mileage fee and costs assessed to the patient for transport providing life support services under A.1. or A.2. of this section shall be reduced to an amount equal to their Medicare and/or other health insurance coverage.
(AO No. 2001-145(S-1), § 14, 12-11-2001; AO No. 2006-173(S-1), § 1, 5-12-2009; AO No. 2013-100, § 5, 1-1-2014; AO No. 2017-142, § 2, 1-1-2018[1])
[1]
Editor's note — This ordinance also provided that "The Assembly finds the fee increases approved in this ordinance either reflect an identifiable cost associated with the increase, as iterated in the Assembly Memorandum and attachments, and are therefore not subject to the limitation of AMC section 3.99.020, or that where a fee, fine or penalty is increased in an amount that exceeds the limitation of AMC section 3.99.020, it is hereby authorized notwithstanding that limitation."
A. 
Mobile crisis team.
1. 
Within the emergency medical service division there shall be a mobile crisis team (MCT) with responsibility for providing a first responder-based response for those in mental health crisis to reduce hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and out of home placements.
2. 
In addition to the MCT, the department may integrate such personnel and mechanisms as it deems most appropriate to respond to behavioral health and health care crises.
(AO No. 2024-113, § 1, 12-3-2024)