The purpose of this chapter is to establish
standards for the operation of volunteer first aid, rescue and ambulance
squads within the City of Passaic, and to ensure that these squads
operate in a safe manner while leaving the City free from liability.
The following definitions shall apply to this
chapter:
VOLUNTEER FIRST AID, RESCUE OR AMBULANCE SQUAD
A first aid, rescue or ambulance squad that does not bill
or receive payment for services rendered. Whether the individual members
of a squad provide their services for free or are compensated by the
squad is irrelevant to a squad's volunteer status.
[Amended 7-17-2007 by Ord. No. 1726-07]
A. All volunteer first aid, rescue or ambulance squads
which directly serve residents of the City of Passaic shall have their
rescue equipment and vehicle inspected by the New Jersey Department
of Health and Senior Services when they inspect the City of Passaic
ambulance equipment and vehicles on an annual basis. No volunteer
first aid, rescue or ambulance squad shall operate within the City
of Passaic unless its vehicle and equipment passes the inspection
of the state for certification of vehicle(s), equipment and personnel
as required for the City under N.J.A.C. 8:40-2.5(d).
B. This inspection is not required for volunteer first
aid, rescue or ambulance squads that do not directly serve residents
of the City of Passaic but which do transport residents of other municipalities
to medical facilities within the City of Passaic.
C. The senior member of the Emergency Medical Services
or his designee shall serve as the individual responsible for monitoring
volunteer first aid, rescue and ambulance squads. The senior member
of the Emergency Medical Services is authorized to establish rules
and regulations concerning the inspection of these vehicles. No fee
shall be charged for these inspections by the City of Passaic.
No volunteer first aid, rescue or ambulance
squad shall receive certification to operate within the City of Passaic
without first executing an agreement with the City that it will defend,
indemnify and hold the City harmless against liability for any and
all claims for damage to property or injury to or death of persons
arising out of or resulting from the operation of the volunteer first
aid, rescue or ambulance squads within the City of Passaic. All volunteer
first aid, rescue or ambulance squads shall maintain a general liability
insurance policy in the amount of $2,000,000, which shall name the
City of Passaic as an additional named insured.
All ambulances or other vehicles used by a volunteer
first aid, rescue or ambulance squad to transport individuals for
medical assistance shall meet all relevant and applicable standards
adopted by the State of New Jersey Office of Emergency Medical Services
(OEMS) for licensing ambulances, as set forth in N.J.A.C. 8:40-1.1
et seq. Compliance with this section may be demonstrated by participating
in any voluntary inspection program offered by OEMS.
All individuals serving on a volunteer first
aid, rescue or ambulance squad shall maintain current certification
from the State of New Jersey that they are qualified for the position
in which they serve.
A volunteer first aid, rescue or ambulance squad in violation of any section of this chapter shall be subject to the general penalties set forth in §
1-3 of the Code of the City of Passaic.
[Added 4-6-2009 by Ord. No. 1796-09]
A. Except for
an emergency or disaster as is defined by State Statute, App A:9-33.1,
National Defense, the City of Passaic shall develop and maintain a
list of qualified mutual aid agencies to provide mutual aid to the
City when needed for ambulance services.
B. The City
Council shall approve by resolution any additions or deletions necessary
to this mutual aid list on an annual basis on April 15 of each year.
C. The mutual
aid list does not imply that the City of Passaic has been involved
in a process to monitor the ambulance to be called for the City of
Passaic or to set the fees to be charged for that service. The City
of Passaic shall not be liable for payment for this service.
D. The City
of Passaic ambulance service shall provide mutual aid to other municipalities,
as needed, for first aid, ambulance and rescue squad purposes.