[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Bridgewater 5-5-2003 by Ord. No. 03-07. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is in an effort
to increase the availability of volunteer rescue squads for emergency
situations, and to eliminate the use of volunteer rescue squads for
nonemergency services.
All state-licensed nursing homes, health-care
facilities, rest homes, health maintenance organizations and other
licensed medical care providers within the Township are hereby required
to own, lease, rent or have immediately available by other arrangement
an appropriately staffed ambulance for the transporting of patients
in need of nonemergency care. The ambulance shall be available 365
days a year and 24 hours a day, and shall be utilized as primary responder.
The resident director, manager or corporate officer of such locations
shall certify the availability of an appropriately staffed ambulance,
and communicate the terms of the chapter to all employees involved
with emergency care.
[Amended 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 21-16]
A duly licensed nursing home, rest home or health
maintenance organization and other licensed medical care providers
may request the appropriate Emergency Medical Services Agency providing
emergency ambulance service to said nursing home, rest home or health
maintenance organization in any situation which falls within the definition
of "advanced life support," as such term is defined in N.J.S.A. 26:2K-7
et seq., and applicable regulations promulgated by the New Jersey
Department of Health. Such situations, by way of example subject to
any statutory clarifications and definitions cited above, shall include
chest pain, difficulty in breathing, sudden loss of consciousness,
stroke, diabetic emergency, cardiac arrest, life-threatening hemorrhaging
or other life-threatening condition.
A.Â
All nursing homes, rest homes and health maintenance
organizations and other licensed medical care providers shall file
proof of the availability of an ambulance with the Township Clerk
within 60 days from the final passage of this chapter and on or before
September 1 of each and every year thereafter.
B.Â
Proof of ambulance availability shall consist of a
contract with an ambulance company or other documentation satisfactory
to the Township Health Officer. If such vehicle is owned by the nursing
home, rest home or health maintenance organization, such proof shall
indicate the make, model, year, color, vehicle identification number,
license plate number, location and ownership of said vehicle. If such
vehicle is owned by a party other than the nursing home, rest home
or health maintenance organization, proof shall be submitted showing
the agreement under which said vehicle is available to the nursing
home, rest home or health maintenance organization.
[Amended 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 21-16]
[Amended 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 21-16]
It shall constitute a violation of this chapter
for any nursing home, rest home or health maintenance organization,
or any agent, servant or employee thereof, to cause the Emergency
Medical Services Agency providing emergency ambulance service for
the area in which the facility is located to respond to a false alarm.
For the purposes of this chapter, "false alarm" shall be defined as
any circumstance where a determination is made by a mobile intensive
care paramedic, emergency medical technician or mobile intensive care
nurse at the scene that the situation does not meet the designated
advanced life support criteria as defined by the applicable statute
and regulations promulgated thereunder.
A.Â
Any person, firm, association, partnership, company,
joint venture or corporation violating any of the provisions of this
chapter shall be subject to a fine of at least $1,500, but not more
than a fine of $5,000, or 90 days in jail, or both, for each such
violation. Each day such violation continues and/or each time the
Emergency Medical Services Agency providing emergency ambulance service
is called to the site shall constitute a separate violation. Fines
collected under this section shall be returned to the responding squad
less appropriate court costs.
[Amended 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 21-16]
B.Â
The Township Health Officer may, from time to time,
promulgate rules and regulations supplementing this chapter in order
to provide for recordkeeping and efficient management.-
C.Â
Any entity failing to provide proof of ambulance availability
by the designated date shall be in violation of this chapter. The
entity shall be subject to an initial fine of $1,000 with a daily
penalty of $500 for each day thereafter.
[Amended 7-19-2021 by Ord. No. 21-16]
D.Â
Enforcement of this chapter shall run concurrently
with both the Bridgewater Police Department and the Township of Bridgewater
Health Officer. Both are authorized to issue summonses for violation
of this chapter.
