As used in this article, the following words
and phrases shall have the meanings as set forth in this section,
unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
AMBULANCE
Any publicly or privately owned vehicle that is specially
designed, constructed or modified and equipped for and is intended
to be used for and is maintained or operated to provide immediate
medical care to or transport of persons who are sick, injured, wounded
or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.
EMERGENCY
An unforeseen condition or circumstance in which there is
a need for immediate medical care in order to prevent loss of life
or aggravation of illness or injury.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES VEHICLE
An ambulance, rescue squad vehicle, fire truck or other government-owned
vehicle which may be used for or is maintained or operated to provide
immediate medical care to or transport of persons who are sick, injured,
wounded or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.
PATIENT
An individual who is sick, injured, wounded or otherwise
incapacitated or helpless.
PERMIT
A permit issued by the County Administrator or his designee,
authorizing the operation of an ambulance.
PERSON
An individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company, group of individuals acting together for a common purpose,
or organization of any kind.
The Board of Supervisors may establish by resolution,
upon recommendation of the County Administrator or his designee, reasonable
fees for the provision of emergency medical services by all emergency
medical service personnel, whether volunteers or paid public employees,
and by all private ambulances operating under a permit issued pursuant
to this article.
Volunteer rescue squads and the members thereof
who are acting in such capacity and agencies of the County and their
employees who are acting in any capacity of emergency services shall
be subject to the provisions of this article.
Any person who desires a permit shall file a
sworn application with the County Administrator, or his designee,
on a form prepared and provided for that purpose. The application
shall include evidence of compliance with the terms and provisions
of this article and such other information as the County Administrator,
or his designee, shall require.
The applicant for a permit or, if a permit has
been granted, the holder of a permit shall immediately give notice
in writing to the County Administrator of any change in the information
set forth in the application for permit, including, without limitation,
any change in rates, board of directors' membership, officers of the
corporation, 501(c)(3) status change from nonprofit to profit corporate
status, insurance coverage, or the ownership of 50% or more of the
common stock of the corporation which has applied for or has received
the permit.
Any person who, on the effective date of this
article, holds a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued
by the County or the commonwealth licensing the operation of an ambulance
or vehicle for the transportation of handicapped persons may, for
a period of 60 calendar days after the effective date of this article,
continue to operate same within the County. Thereafter such person
shall be required to have a permit issued by the County Administrator,
or his designee.
No permit granted under this article may be
sold, assigned, or transferred, nor shall it in any way vest in any
person, other than the applicant to whom the permit is granted, any
rights or privileges under the permit. For purposes of this section,
the transfer of ownership of 50% or more of the common stock of a
corporation which has been granted a permit shall be deemed to be
a transfer of the permit.
Every permit holder shall maintain accurate
service logs of operations undertaken in accordance with its permit.
Such service logs shall include, with regard to each request for ambulance
service, the time and date the request was received, the location
of the patient on whose behalf the request was made, the time the
ambulance arrived at the location and the destination and time of
arrival at the destination. If the request was denied, the log shall
indicate the reason for such denial. In addition, the service log
shall include any other information required by the Chief of Fire
and Rescue. Such logs shall be maintained for a period of three years
and made available for inspection by authorized representatives of
the County upon reasonable request.
The County Administrator, or his designee, is
hereby authorized to exercise the following powers and responsibilities
in order to effectively achieve the purposes of this article, as follows:
A. To enter into contracts with any person for the administration
and collection of any fees which are imposed by the County Department
of Fire and Rescue or other County agency, by any volunteer rescue
squad or other nonprofit organization operating under any permit granted
in accordance with this article;
B. To establish reasonable rules and procedures for imposing
and collecting authorized fees for the provision of emergency medical
services;
C. To write off as uncollectible any accounts which are
reasonably deemed to be uncollectible; and
D. To exercise such other reasonable powers and authority
as shall be necessary for the proper administration of this article.
The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors recognizes
the longstanding history and the tremendous value and contribution
of volunteer rescue squads and fire companies made in the community.
Volunteer rescue squads and fire companies may be formed, named and
dissolved and shall operate in compliance with applicable statutes,
provisions of this article and regulations, including those issued
by the County Administrator or his designee. Formation, naming and
dissolution shall be effective only if approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Rescue squads and fire companies may adopt bylaws for effecting their
purposes. Agencies may, in accordance with their bylaws and compliance
with state code, dissolve. However, prior to such dissolution, agencies
shall provide no less than a thirty-day notice to the County Administrator
or his designee.
Subject to any regulations published by the
Buchanan County Department of Fire and Rescue pursuant to authority
in accordance with Virginia Administrative Code Title 12, Section
5-31-1200 and Section 5-31-900:
A. EMS personnel serving in a required staffing position
on an EMS vehicle shall be, at a minimum, 18 years of age.
B. EMS agencies may allow assistants or observers in
addition to the required personnel. An assistant or observer must
be, at a minimum, 16 years of age.
C. An EMS agency may have associated personnel who are
less than 16 years of age. This person is not allowed to participate
in any EMS response or any training program or other activity that
may involve exposure to communicable disease, hazardous chemical or
other risk of serious injury.