[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen 9-8-1981.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
The ambulance shall be used for emergency transportation only. The ambulance
may be requested by any person for an emergency in the Town of Falmouth by
calling the Falmouth Fire Department, 548-2323. The dispatcher
at fire headquarters will dispatch the ambulance.
The distance that the ambulance is allowed to travel limited to one
hundred (100) miles.
Those individuals arriving at Woods Hole from Nantucket, Martha's
Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands who require emergency transportation are
eligible for service.
All injured or ill persons will be transported to Falmouth Hospital.
The Fire Department will send the ambulance and fire engine to the helicopter
pad when a helicopter is scheduled to land. The Coast Guard Air Station will
notify the Fire Department and the Falmouth Hospital as soon as possible of
an anticipated pickup giving an initial estimated time of arrival (ETA). When
the patient is aboard the helicopter, the Coast Guard Air Station will notify
the hospital and Fire Department of the update ETA.
The men assigned to the ambulance shall be certified paramedics or emergency
medical technicians (EMT's) operating under the supervision of the emergency
medical service (EMS) supervisor who in turn answers to the Chief of the Fire
Department.
When transporting a patient, there will be one (1) paramedic and one
(1) EMT or two (2) EMT's riding in the ambulance whenever possible.
The paramedic or EMT on duty, regardless of rank, shall be in charge
of patient care. However, if conditions warrant, such as a multiple accident
where he may be otherwise committed, another paramedic or EMT may direct patient
care. The paramedic or EMT in charge shall determine at the scene:
The paramedic or EMT in charge will report in writing to the EMS supervisor
any request for emergency transportation that in his judgment was improper
or inappropriate.
For a patient being transported from Falmouth Hospital, the Town ambulance
will be used for emergency transportation to another hospital only. The ambulance
will not remain to transport the patient back to Falmouth Hospital.
There will be one (1) paramedic or EMT and a driver on emergency transportation
trips from Falmouth Hospital to another hospital. Either a doctor or a nurse
will ride with the paramedic or EMT during the emergency trip, as the Falmouth
Hospital is liable for the patient once contact has been established with
Falmouth Hospital.
A policeman or policewoman will accompany persons transported to a psychiatric
hospital.
[Amended AFTM 11-8-2004, Art. 9, approved 12-30-2004]
The charge for service will be in keeping with current Medicare and
welfare reimbursements.
The bill for service will be sent by the Fire Department and payment
is to be made to the Town Treasurer. All persons will be billed.
In the event of an obvious dead on arrival (DOA), once a police officer
is on the scene the ambulance may return to quarters.
