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HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-1968-781 (2) e e ORDINANCE NO. 781 AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE OPERATION OF EMERGENCY AMBULANCES ON THE PUBLIC STREETS OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE; REQUIRING AN EMERGENCY AMBULANCE PERMIT; PROVIDING THAT APPLICATIONS FOR SUCH PERMITS BE MADE TO THE CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE; PROVIDING THAT ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE DEEMED GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION SHALL BE FINED IN ANY SUM NOT TO EXCEED TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) AND EACH DAY OF VIOLATION SHALL BE DEEMED A SEPARATE OFFENSE; CONTAINING A REPEALING PROVISION AND A SEVERABILITY PROVISION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS: Section 1. Definitions. 1. Ambulance. Every motor vehicle used, designed or re-designed for the transportation of sick or injured persons. 2. Ambulance Operator. The person, partnership or corpora- tion ~olding a City of La Porte emergency ambulance permit. 3. City Clerk. The City Clerk of the City of La Porte, Texas. 4. Direct Call. A request for emergency ambulance service made by telephone or other means directly to the holder of an emergency ambulance permit, his agents or employees. 5. Emergency Ambulance. An ambulance used, designed or re-designed for the purpose of transporting the sick or injured, the rending of first aid, or the performance of rescue work while the vehicle is being operated under emergency circumstances. 6. Emergency Service. This shall include the emergency ambulance trip to the place of emergency, the rendering of first aid and assistance, and the trip to the hospital. 7. Emergency Circumstances. The existence of circumstances in which the element of time in transporting the sick or injured for medical treatment is essential to the health or life of such person. Section 2. Emergency Ambulance Operator's Permit ,Required. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm o~-.corporation to ..<1"" ~~ engage in furnishing emergency ambulanc~service by operating or driving or causing to be operated or driven an emergency ambulance ;~pon the public streets of the City of La Porte'without first ..,~"- ,.e e -2- having obtained a City of La Porte emergency ambulance operator's permit. Section 3. Contents of Application. Application for an emergency ambulance operator's permit shall be filed with the City Clerk, and such application shall be submitted upon a form or forms to be furnished by said City Clerk and the applicant shall furnish the following proof and information with the application. Such application shall be subscribed and sworn to before a Notary Public. 1. That the applicant or applicants have not been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within the last ten (10) years. 2. A statement that the applicant has obtained or will obtain liability insurance in accordance with the requirements hereinafter provided before commencing emergency ambulance service in the event the City Commission determines that an emergency ambulance operator's permit should be granted. No emergency ambulance operator's permit will be issued until such insurance is in effect. 3. A statement that the applicant has been issued a permit by the State Board of Health pursuant to authorization of Article 4s9b of the Texas Civil Statutes. No emergency ambulance permit will be issued unless the applicant has obtained such a permit. 4. Each applicant must furnish his fingerprints to the Police Department of the City of La Porte. 5. The application shall set out the number of emergency ambulances which the applicant proposes to operate and the make, model, motor number and correct state license number of each vehicle shall be listed. If the application is made before one or more of such emergency ambulances have been acquired by the applicant, then such information shall be furnished to the City Clerk before issuance of a permit for such vehicle. . ~' e e -3- 6. A statement as to the location and a description of the place or places from which it is intended to operate emergency ambulance service. 7. The agreement of the operator that in the event such license is granted, sixty (60) days notice of discontinuance of ambulance service to be rendered by the operator under such license shall be given to the City Clerk, in the event the operator for any reason determines after the issuance of such license to discontinue ambulance service thereunder. 8. The maximum rates proposed to be charged for ambulance service by the operator which shall not thereafter be raised without the prior approval of the City Commission of the City of La Porte. Section 4. Hearin~ and Proof of Public Convenience and Necess~ty. 1. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt of application as provided for herein, the City Commission shall cause a public hearing to be held concerning the ~pplicant and his proposed operation. 2. The applicant shall not be granted an emergency ambulance operator's permit unless the City Commission finds and determines that the public convenience and necessity will be served by the issuance of such permit. The City Commission shall hear all of the relevant and material evidence presented by applicant and his witnesses, and by any persons who appear in opposition to the application. The City Commission shall also have the right to call any other witnesses that it may deem necessary or appro- priate. In all such hearings, the burden of proof shall be upon the applicant to establish by clear, cogent and convincing evi- dence that the public convenience and necessity will be served by the granting of the emergency ambulance operator's permit. 3. Public convenience and necessity shall mean that: A. The permanent address from which the emergency ambulance service is proposed to be operated will be within or near an area of the City which would benefit from additional .. . 'I~ '{\rvice. -e e -4- B. Existing emergency ambulance service within the City of La Porte will not be adversely affected so as to lower the standards of existing service either in the area to be served by the applicant or within the City as a whole. 5. In determining public convenience and necessity the City Commission shall consider the following: A. The need for additional ambulance service. This may include the evidence of the records and statistics'of the Police Department, Health Department, and any other relevant and material evidence. B. The distance from the permanent address at which the applicant proposes to operate the emergency ambulance service to hospitals providing emergency service to the public. C. The number of emergency ambulances which are avail- able to provide service in the area in which the applicant pro- poses to furnish such service. D. The record of responses to the police dispatcher's calls. This may include information as to length of time re- quired to arrive at the place of an emergency after a request for such service and information as to calls declined and hours of the day during which service in such area may be curtailed for any reason. E. Density of population. F. Financial responsibility of the applicant. G. Number of emergency ambulances for which emergency ambulance operator's permits are requested and the hours during the day and days during the week that the applicant proposes to furnish such service. H. In the event the applicant has previously participated in furnishing emergency ambulance service, evidence as to whether the applicant performed such service in a satisfactory manner. Section 5. Granting or Denial of Permit. The City Commission shall make a determination as to the . ';.~~xi.stence or non-existence of public convenience" and necessity .e e -5- within fifteen (15) days from the date of the conclusion of such hearing and it shall notify the applicant and parties who appeared in opposition in writing within said fifteen (15) day period that the application has been either granted, or denied. Section 6. Termination of Permit. All emergency ambulance permits shall terminate on December 31 of each year. Such permits may be renewed by making application in writing for such renewal, before the termination date. Section 7. Condition of Ambulance and Supplies Required. No emergency ambulance shall be operated on the public streets of the City unless it complies with the following require- ments: 1. The emergency ambulance is free of structural defects. 2. The emergency ambulance has no serious impairment of any safety feature resulting from an accident or otherwise. 3. The A. B. C. D. E. F. G. emergency ambulance is equipped with the following: An ambulance stretcher with clean linens; two blankets and a sanitary mattress cover. A back board. Two lower extremity splints and two upper extremity splints. One oxygen therapy unit with at least 1000 pounds of oxygen in the tank. One quart liquid fire extinguisher or two and one-half pounds of C02 or two and one-half pounds dry chemical extinguisher. One three-cell flashlight equipped with bulbs and batteries in, good'working order. One or more red lights mounted on the top of the emergency commercial vehicle which is clearly visible from a 3600 cover~ge. H. First Aid Kit composed of the following articles: (1) Twelve 3x3 inch sterile gauze pads; (2) One large gauze pad 36x36 inches or one gauze pad 24x72 inches or two gauze pads lBx36 inches; ~ (3) One-half oz. bottle Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia or eight 2cc. vials of Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia; (4) Ten crushable ammonia inhalants; e e -6- (5) One small box adhesive compresses (Band-Aids); (6) Three 10cc. vials Tincture Merthiolate or one-half oz. bottle Tincture Merthiolate; (7) Two 5/8 oz. tubes Faille Ointment or one oz. bottle Foille Ointment; (8) One eye dressing packet; (9) Six 3x3 inch picric aicd gauze pads, sterile, or one 36x36 inch picric acid gauze pad, sterile; (10) One 2-inch roll adhesive plaster or two I-inch rolls adhesive plaster or four l/2-inch rolls adhesive plaster; (11) Four 2-inch rolls roller gauze; (12) Two 4-inch bandage compresses; (13) Four 3-inch bandage compresses; (14) Eight 2-inch bandage compresses; (15) Two triangular bandages of muslin; (16) One small package cleansing tissues (at least 6 sheets); (17) Six wooden tongue depressors; (18) One oz. box absorbent cotton; (19) Two muslin or elastic bandages; (20) One tourniquet; (21) One small pair scissors; (22) One forceps or tweezers; (23) One flashlight (to be kept outside of kit); (a) All first aid kits shall be filled with the articles listed above or a substitute of like quality and quantity. (b) All first aid kits shall be refilled regularly enough to be kept at 90% strength and shall also be checked periodically for empty boxes and defective materials. (cl All materials in the first aid kit shall be kept in a suitable container with a water- tight gasket. Section 8. Radio Dispatching--Private Line Phone Required. 1. Any holder of any emergency ambulance operator's permit will be granted police dispatching privileges upon application therefor. Such privilege shall be subject to suspension or .revocation as hereinafter provided. ~ . e -7- 2. Any holder of an emergency ambulance operator's permit will be required to connect his permanent-base station with the police radio dispatcher's office by private line telephone, which shall be maintained at the expense of the operator. Section 9. Additional Equipment Required for Radio Dispatched Ambulances. In addition to the requirements set out for the condition of the ambulance and required equipment and supplies set out in Section 8 above, radio dispatched emergency ambulances shall be equipped with a two-way radio in proper working order and capable of receiving and transmitting voice messages on an assigned frequency allocated for police use on a frequency lawfully designated and used by the Police Department of the City of La Porte. Section 10. Police Dispatcher's Clearance Required on Direct Calls. When a direct call for emerg~ncy ambulance service is received by an emergency ambulance operator, his agents or employees, s~ch call shall immediately be reported to the police radio dispatcher and if the dispatcher has not previously dispatched or given clearance to another ambulance to proceed to the place of the reported emergency, the dispatcher shall give clearance to the reporting ambulance service. If, however, the police dispatcher has previously dispatched or given clearance to another emergency ambulance to proceed to the place of the reported emergency, and clearance by the dispatcher for any additional emergency ambulances is refused, it shall then be unlawful for the reporting ambulance company to proceed to the place of the reported emergency. Section 11. Procedure for Police Dispatched Ambulances. 1. Upon receipt of a request for emergency ambulance service, the police radio dispatcher shall determine which emergency ambulance service having police radio dispatch~ng privileges is located nearest to the place of the emergency. . The police dispatcher shall then call by telepoone the nearest ~' e e -8- ambulance service and if such service has available on the premises an emergency ambulance, the ambulance shall be dispatched to the place of the emergency. If the nearest ambulance service does not have available an emergency ambulance on the premises, or if the ambulance service is unable or unwilling for any other reason to accept said call, then the police radio dispatcher shall proceed to notify the next nearest emergency ambulance service until an emergency ambulance service is located which will furnish immediate emergency ambulance service. 2. The following procedure shall be followed by ambulance operators, their agents or employees, in the operation of emer- gency ambulances in all instances where they are dispatched by the police dispatcher for emergency ambulance service: A. A report by two-way radio shall be made from the emergency ambulance to the police dispatcher when leaving the premises of the emergency ambulance permit hold(~r. B. A report by two-way radio from the emergency ambulance shall be made to the police dispatcher when the emergency ambulance arrives at the place of the emergency. C. A report by two-way radio from the emergency ambulance shall be made to the police dispatcher when the emergency ambulance is driven from the place of the emergency and this report shall advise to which hospital the ill or injured person is being conveyed. D. A report by two-way radio shall be made to the police radio dispatcher from the emergency ambulance when the ambulance arrives at the hospital. E. The driver or the attendant of the emergency ambulance shall report to the radio dispatcher by telephone before leaving the hospital the name, age, and to the extent that he is able to do so, the type of injury or other cause which required the emergency ambulance service. ~' e e -9- Section 12. Public Liability Insurance Required. Before an emergency ambulance operator's permit is granted to an applicant, or before any renewal thereof, the applicant or the operator seeking renewal shall provide evidence to the City Commission that he has in full force and effect a public liability insurance policy on each emergency ambulance, such insurance policy to be issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Texas, or by a surplus line insur- ance company which is not legally prohibited from doing business in the State of Texas. Such insurance policy or policies shall provide liability insurance in the amount of not less than $50,000 for anyone accident and not less than $25,000 for injury to anyone person, and not less than $5,000 for property damage for anyone accident. Such insurance policy shall not contain a passenger liabilitY,exclusion. Each liability insurance policy shall contain a provision obligating the insurer to give to the City Commission written notice of cancellation not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of any cancellation. Section 13. Emergency Ambulance Driver's Qualifications. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or drive an emergency ambulance upon the streets of the City of La Porte, unless the driver thereof shall meet the following qualifications: 1. Driver must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older. 2. A person may not be a driver if he has been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within the past ten (10) years. 3. A driver must be the holder of a Texas Chauffeur's license. Section 14. Use of Red Lights and Sirens; Speed, etc. 1. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the City of La Porte in excess of the speed limits applicable to non-emergency vehicles unless the driver thereof has been dispatched or cleared for emergency '.:'~~mb!llanc~ service. " e e -10- 2. The use of sirens or flashing emergency lights upon the public streets of the City of La Porte shall be unlawful except when furnishing emergency ambulance service which has been dispatched or cleared by the police radio dispatcher. 3. It shall be unlawful to operate and drive an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the City of La Porte at a rate of speed of more than five (5) miles per hour in excess of the speed limits applicable to non-emergency vehicles. ' 4. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive an emergency ambulance in excess of ten (10) miles per hour while entering and passing through an intersection if such intersection is controllep by a Stop Sign or by a traffic signal which indicates Stop by displaying a red light. Section 15. Attendant's Qualifications. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive or cause to be operated or driven an emergency ambulance on the public streets , of the City of La Porte when furnishing emergency ambulance service unless a person meeting the following qualifications is an attendant on said ambulance: 1. The attendant must be seventeen (17) years of age or older. 2. The attendant must not have been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within ten (10) years. Section 16. Driver or Attendant Must Have Firs't Aid Training. 1. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive, or cause to be operated or driven, an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the City of La Porte for the purpose of furnishing emergency ambulance service unless the driver thereof and the attendant thereon have in their possession a current Red Cross or Department of Interior (Bureau of Mines) card certifying that the holder thereof has passed the advanced Red Cross First Aid Course or the Bureau of Mines First Aid Course. . ~ e e -11- 2. It shall be unlawful for the driver or the attendant of an emergency ambulance to fail to render first aid and assistance to the sick or injured at the place of the emergency. 3. It shall be unlawful for an emergency ambulance operator, or any of his or its drivers or attendants, to refuse to carry or transport any sick or injured person at the place of an emergency after having been dispatched thereto or cleared thereto by the police radio dispatcher, and the circumstance that the sick or injured person is, or appears to be, indigent, shall not serve as an excuse from this requirement. Section 17. Penalty. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misde- meanor and upon conviction, shall be fined in any sum not to exceed Two Hundred ($200) Dollars for such offense. Each day's violation shall constitute a separate offense. . Section lB. Severability Clause. If any provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or the application of same to any person or set of circumstances, if for any reason are held to be unconstitutional, void or invalid (or for any reason unenforce- able), the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance, or their application to other persons or sets of circumstances, shall not be affected thereby, it being the intent of the City Commission of the City of La Porte in adopting this ordinance, and of the Mayor of the City of La Porte in approving this ordinance, that no portion hereof or provision or regulation contained herein shall become inoperative or fail by reason of any unconstitutionality or invalidity, or any other portion, provision or regulation, and to this end, all provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable. ,...~i'f e - -12- Section 19. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective from and after its passage, approval and publication as required by law. PASSED AND APPROVED, this the ~ day of February, 1968. //t Mayor, C ATTEST: ~a... :". ,-.J, ~ ~~"---- C~ ty Clerk v , APPROVED: c~fd 4L, , ':.J~ Texas [ I . . ~.,__ u.~. " ....... .' . ", e . ORDINANCE NO. 781 l \ AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE OPERATION OF EMERGENCY AMBULANCES ON THE PUBLIC STREETS OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE; REQUIRING AN EMERGENCY AMBULANCE PERMIT; PROVIDING THAT APPLICATIONS FOR SUCH PERMITS BE MADE TO THE CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE; PROVIDING THAT ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE DEEMED GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION SHALL BE FINED IN ANY SUM NOT TO EXCEED TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) AND EACH DAY OF VIOLATION SHALL BE DEEMED A SEPARATE OFFENSE; CONTAINING A REPEALING PROVISION AND A SEVERABILITY PROVISION; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS: Section 1. Definitions. 1. Ambulance. Every motor vehicle used, designed or re-designed for the transportation of sick or injured persons. 2. Ambulance Operator. The person, partnership or corpora- tion holding a City of La Porte emergency ambulance permit. 3. City Clerk. The City Clerk of the City of La Porte, Texas. 4. Direct Call. A request for emergency ambulance service made by telephone or other means directly to the holder of an emergency ambulance permit, his agents or employees. 5. Emergency Ambulance. An ambulance used, designed or re-designed for the purpose of transporting the sick or injured, the rending of first aid, or the performance of rescue work while the vehicle is being operated under emergency circumstances. 6. Emergency Service. This shall include the emergency ambulance trip to the place of emergency, the rendering of first aid and assistance, and the trip to the hospital. 7. Emergency Circumstances. The existence of circumstances r., in which the element of time in transporting the sick or injured for medical treatment is essential to the health or life of such person. Section 2. Emergency Ambulance Operator's Permit ,Required. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm '?}:....corporation to ~. . ..... engage in furnishing emergency ambulanc,.g~, ser~ice by operating or driving or causing to be operated or driven an emergency ambulance ..~::.'fpon the" public streets of the City of La Porte. wi thout first . . -2- having obtained a City of La Porte emergency ambulance operator's permit. Section 3. Contents of Application. Application for an emergency ambulance operator's permit shall be filed with the City Clerk, and such application shall be submitted upon a form or forms to be furnished by said City Clerk and the applicant shall furnish the following proof and information with the application. Such application shall be subscribed and sworn to before a Notary Public. 1. That the applicant or applicants have not been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within the last ten (10) years. 2. A statement that the applicant has obtained or will obtain liability insurance in accordance with the requirements hereinafter provided before commencing emergency ambulance service in the event the City Commission determines that an emergency ambulance operator's permit should be granted. No emergency ambulance operator's permit will be issued until such insurance is in effect. 3. A statement that the applicant has been issued a permit by the State Board of Health pursuant to authorization of Article 459b of the Texas Civil Statutes. No emergency ambulance permit will be issued unless the applicant has obtained such a permit. 4. Each applicant must furnish his fingerprints to the Police Department of the City of La Porte. 5. The application shall set out the number of emergency ambulances which the applicant proposes to operate and the make, model, motor_numpe~ and_cor~~ct state license number of each vehicle shall be listed. If the application is made before one or more of such emergency ambulances have been acquired by the applicant, then such information shall be furnished to the City Clerk before issuance of a permit for such vehicle. . '~' e . -3- 6. A statement as to the location and a description of the place or places from which it is intended to operate emergency ambulance service. 7. The agreement of the operator that in the event such license is granted, sixty (60) days notice of discontinuance of ambulance service to be rendered by the operator under such license shall be given to the City Clerk, in the event the operator for any reason determines after the issuance of such license to discontinue ambulance service thereunder. 8. The maximum rates proposed to be charged for ambulance service by the operator which shall not thereafter be raised without the prior approval of the City Commission of the City of La Porte. Section 4. Hearing and Proof of Public Convenience and Necessity. 1. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt of application as provided for herein, the City Commission shall cause a public hearing to be held concerning the ~pplicant and his proposed operation. 2. The applicant shall not be granted an emergency ambulance operator's permit unless the City Commission finds and determines that the public convenience and necessity will be served by the issuance of such permit. The City Commission shall hear all of the relevant and material evidence presented by applicant and his witnesses, and by any persons who appear in opposition to the application. The City Commission shall also have the right to call any other witnesses that it may deem necessary or appro- priate. In all such hearings, the burden of proof shall be upon the applicant to establish by clear, cogent and convincing evi- dence that the public convenience and necessity will be served by the granting of,the emergency ambulance operator's permit. 3. Public convenience and necessity shall mean that: A. The permanent address from which the emergency ambulance service is proposed to be operated will be within or near an area of the City which would benefit from additional q .:~ , "'~ '.~ervice . \ e . -4- B. Existing emergency ambulance service within the City of La Porte will not be adversely affected so as to lower the standards of existing service either in the area to be served by the applicant or within the City as a whole. 5. In determining public convenience and necessity the City Commission shall consider the following: A. The need for additional ambulance service. This may include the evidence of the records and statistics'of the Police Department, Health Department, and any other relevant and material evidence. B. The distance from the permanent address at which the applicant proposes to operate the emergency ambulance service to hospitals providing emergency service to the public. C. The number of emergency ambulances which are avail- able to provide service in the area in which the applicant pro- poses to furnish such service. , D. The record of responses to the police dispatcher's calls. This may include information as to length of time re- qui red to arrive at the place of an emergency after a request for such service and information as to calls declined and hours of the day during which service in such area may be curtailed for any reason. E. Density of population. F. Financial responsibility of the applicant. G. Number of emergency ambulances for which emergency ambulance operator's permits are requested and the hours during the day and days during the week that the applicant proposes to furnish such service. H. In the event the applicant has previously participated in furnishing emergency ambulance service, evidence as to whether the applicant performed such service in a satisfactory manner. Section 5. Granting or Denial of Permit. The City Commission shall make a determination as to the . ':.~~xi,stence or non-existence of public convenience" and necessity e . -5- within fifteen (15) days from the date of the conclusion of such hearing and it shall notify the applicant and parties who appeared in opposition in writing within said fifteen (15) day period that the application has been either granted, or denied. Section 6. Termination of Permit. All emergency ambulance permits shall terminate on December 31 of each year. Such permits may be renewed by making application in writing for such renewal, before the termination date. Section 7. Condition of Ambulance and Supplies Required. No emergency ambulance shall be operated on the public streets of the City unless it complies with the following require- ments: 1. The emergency ambulance is free of structural defects. 2. The emergency ambulance has no serious impairment of any safety feature resulting from an accident or otherwise. 3. The A. B. C. D. E. emergency ambulance is equipped with the following: An ambulance stretcher with clean linens; two blankets and a sanitary mattress cover. A back board. Two lower extremity splints and two upper extremity splints. One oxygen therapy unit with at least 1000 pounds of oxygen in the tank. One quart liquid fire extinguisher or two and one-half pounds of C02 or two and one-half pounds dry chemical extinguisher. F. One three-cell flashlight equipped with bulbs and batteries in, good'working order. G. One or more red lights mounted on the top of the emergency commercial vehicle which is clearly visible from a 3600 coverage. H. First Aid Kit composed of the following articles: (1) Twelve 3x3 inch sterile gauze pads; (2) One large gauze pad 36x36 inches or one gauze pad 24x72 inches or two gauze pads l8x36 inches; . ;., ..~;; (3) One-half oz. bottle Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia or eight 2cc. vials of Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia; (4) Ten crushable ammonia inhalants; e e -6- (5) One small box adhesive compresses (Band-Aids); (6) Three 10cc. vials Tincture Merthiolate or one-half oz. bottle Tincture Merthiolate; (7) Two 5/8 oz. tubes Foille Ointment or one oz. bottle Foille Ointment; (8) One eye dressing packet; (9) Six 3x3 inch picric aicd gauze pads, sterile, or one 36x36 inch picric acid gauze pad, sterile; (10) One 2-inch roll adhesive plaster or two I-inch rolls adhesive plaster or four 1/2-inch rolls adhesive plaster; (11) Four 2-inch rolls roller gauze; (12) Two 4-inch bandage compresses; (13) Four 3-inch bandage compresses; (14) Eight 2-inch bandage compresses; (15) Two triangular bandages of muslin; (16) One small package cleansing tissues (at least 6 sheets); (17) Six wooden tongue depressors; (18) One oz. box absorbent cotton; (19) Two muslin or elastic bandages; (20) One tourniquet; (21) One small pair scissors; (22) One forceps or tweezers; (23) One flashlight (to be kept outside of kit); (a) All first aid kits shall be filled with the articles listed above or a substitute of like quality and quantity. (b) All first aid kits shall be refilled regularly enough to be kept at 90% strength and shall also be checked periodically for empty boxes and defective materials. (c) All materials in the first aid kit shall be kept in a suitable container with a water- tight gasket. Section 8. Radio Dispatching--Private Line Phone Required. 1. Any holder of any emergency ambulance operator's permit will be granted police dispatching privileges upon application therefor. Such privilege shall be subject to suspension or .revocation as hereinafter provided. ~ ,;h e - -7- 2. Any holder of an emergency ambulance operator's permit will be required to connect his permanent-base station with the police radio dispatcher's office by private line telephone, which shall be maintained at the expense of the operator. Section 9. Additional Equipment Required for Radio Dispatched Ambulances. In addition to the requirements set out for the condition of the ambulance and required equipment and supplies set out in Section 8 above, radio dispatched emergency ambulances shall be equipped with a two-way radio in proper working order and capable of receiving and transmitting voice messages on an assigned frequency allocated for police use on a frequency lawfully designated and used by the Police Department of the City of La Porte. Section 10. Police Dispatcher's Clearance Required on Direct Calls. When a direct call for emerg~ncy ambulance service is received by an emergency ambulance operator, his agents or employees, s~ch call shall immediately be reported to the police radio dispatcher and if the dispatcher has not previously dispatched or given clearance to another ambulance to proceed to the place of the reported emergency, the dispatcher shall give clearance to the reporting ambulance service. If, however, the police dispatcher has previously dispatched or given clearance to another emergency ambulance to proceed to the place of the reported emergency, and clearance by the dispatcher for any additional emergency ambulances is refused, it shall then be unlawful for the reporting ambulance company to proceed to the place of the reported emergency. Section 11. Procedure for Police Dispatched Ambulances. 1. Upon receipt of a rsquest for emergency ambulance service, the police radio dispatcher shall determine which emergency ambulance service having police radio dispatch~ng privileges is located nearest to the place of the emergency. . The police dispatcher shall then call by telepbone the nearest ~~. ~ . e -8- ambulance service and if such service has available on the premises an emergency ambulance, the ambulance shall be dispatched to the place of the emergency. If the nearest ambulance service does not have available an emergency ambulance on the premises, or if the ambulance service is unable or unwilling for any other reason to accept said call, then the police radio dispatcher shall proceed to notify the next nearest emergency ambulance service until an emergency ambulance service is located which will furnish immediate emergency ambulance service. 2. The following procedure shall be followed by ambulance operators, their agents or employees, in the operation of emer- gency ambulances in all instances where they are dispatched by the police dispatcher for emergency ambulance service: A. A report by two-way radio shall be made from the emergency ambulance to the police dispatcher when leaving the premises of the emergency ambulance permi t holdt~r. B. A report by two-way radio from the emergency mnbulance shall be made to the police dispatcher when the emergency ambulance arrives at the place of the emergency. c. A report by two-way radio from the emergency ambulance shall be made to the police dispatcher when the emergency ambulance is driven from the place of the emergency and this report shall advise to which hospital the ill or injured person is being conv~yed. D. A report by two-way radio shall be made to the police radio dispatcher from the emergency ambulance when the ambulance arrives at the hospital. E. The driver or the attendant of the emergency ambulance shall report to the radio dispatcher by telephone before leaving the hospital the name, age, and to the extent that he is able to do so, the type of injury or other cause which required the emergency ambulance service. . '. "iii' :.~'I " e e -9- Section 12. Public Liability Insurance Required. Before an emergency ambulance operator's permit is granted to an applicant, or before any renewal thereof, the applicant or the operator seeking renewal shall provide evidence to the City Commission that he has in full force and effect a public liability insurance policy on each emergency ambulance, such insurance policy to be issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Texas, or by a surplus line in sur- ance company which is not legally prohibited from doing business in the State of Texas. Such insurance policy or policies shall provide liability insurance in the amount of not less than $50,000 for anyone accident and not less than $25,000 for injury to anyone person, and not less than $5,000 for property damage for anyone accident. Such insurance policy shall not contain a passenger liabilitY,exclusion. Each liability insurance policy shall contain a provision obligating the insurer to give to the City Commission written notice of cancellation not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of any cancellation. Section 13. Emergency Ambulance Driver's Qualifications. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or drive an emergency ambulance upon the streets of the City of La Porte, unless the driver thereof shall meet the following qualifications: 1. Driver must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older. 2. A person may not be a driver if he has been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within the past ten (10) years. 3. A driver must be the holder of a Texas Chauffeur's license. Section 14. Use of Red Lig~ts and Sirens; Speed, etc. 1. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the City of La Porte in excess of the speed limits applicable to non-emergency vehicles unless the driver thereof has been dispatched or cleared for emergency . ' , , '.:'~~mb!llance service. 'I ". . e, -10- 2. The use of sirens or flashing emergency lights upon the public streets of the City of La Porte shall be unlawful except when furnishing emergency ambulance service which has been dispatched or cleared by the police radio dispatcher. 3. It shall be unlawful to operate and drive an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the City of La Porte at a rate of speed of more than five (5) miles per hour in excess of the speed limits applicable to non-emergency vehicles. 4. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive an emergency ambulance in excess of ten (10) miles per hour while entering and passing through an intersection if such intersection is controlleq by a Stop Sign or by a traffic signal which indicates Stop by displaying a red light. Section 15. Attendant's Qualifications. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive or cause to be operated or driven an emergency ambulance on the public streets . of the City of La Porte when furnishing emergency ambulance service unless a person meeting the following qualifications is an attendant on said ambulance: 1. The attendant must be seventeen (17) years of age or older. 2. The attendant must not have been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within ten (10) years. Section 16. Driver or Attendant Must Have Fi'rs't Aid Training. 1. It shall be unlawful to operate or drive, or cause to be operated or driven, an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the City of La Porte for the purpose of furnishi~g emergency ambulance service unless the driver thereof and the attendant thereon have in their possession a current Red Cross or Department of Interior (Bureau of Mines) card certifying that the holder thereof has passed the advanced Red Cross First Aid Course or the Bureau of Mines First Aid Course. . ., ":..0!iiJ . e -11- 2. It shall be unlawful for the driver or the attendant of an emergency ambulance to fail to render first aid and assistance to the sick or injured at the place of the emergency. 3. It shall be unlawful for an emergency ambulance operator, or any of his or its drivers or attendants, to refuse to carry or transport any sick or injured person at the place of an emergency after having been dispatched thereto or cleared thereto by the police radio dispatcher, and the circumstance that the sick or injured person is, or appears to be, indigent, shall not serve as an excuse from this requirement. Section 17. Penalty. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misde- meanor and upon conviction, shall be fined in any sum not to exceed Two Hundred ($200) Dollars for such offense. Each day's violation shall constitute a separate offense. . Section 18. Severability Clause. If any provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or the application of same to any person or set of circumstances, if for any reason are held to be unconstitutional, void or invalid (or for any reason unenforce- able), the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance, or their application to other persons or sets of circumstances, shall not be affected thereby, it bei~g the intent of the City Commission of the City of La Porte in adopting this ordinance, and of the Mayor of the City of La Porte in approving this ordinance, that no portion hereof or provision or regulation contained herein shall become inoperative or fail by reason of any unconstitutionality or invalidity, or any other portion, provision or regulation, and to this end, all provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable. . '~ . e -12- Section 19. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective from and after its passage, approval and publication as required by law. PASSED AND APPROVED, this the 12th day of February, 1968. ATTEST: l,..---.~ -1 .." ~ ~ ~ '\. ~e:t!.t...<. ~ Ci ty Clerk (/ (7 APPROVED: c~p/ ~ . ":.JIiI Texas . j ; t J { '.....,.,...... ....J . (. e REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM Agenda Date Requested: December 14. 2004 AoOl'Ooriation Requested By: R~ Nolen Source of Funds: N/A Account Number: Amount Budgeted: Amount Requested: Budgeted Item: YES NO Department: 1'. Report: Resolution: Ordinance: X Exbibits: A - Private Ambulance Regplatioos B - Aooendh - .Fines Exhibits: Exhibits: Repeal OrdiAaDte #781 SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION Ordinance amending Chapter 30 "Emergency Services", Article III "Emergency Medical Services" of the code of ordinances for the City of La Porte by adding new sections 30-79 through 30-93 and by amending Appendix B "Fines" for the purpose of regulating the operation of privately owned ambulances on the public streets of the City of La Porte. Repeal outdated Ordinance #781 approved in 1968. Recommend that council approve the updated ordinance of regulating Privately Owned Ambulances. ATIACHMENTS: Newly proposed ordinance - Private Ambulance Regulations Ordinance #781- To be repealed Action Reauired bv Council: Approve updated Ordinance regulating Privately Owned Ambulances and repeal outdated Ordinance #781. ADD roved for City Council A2enda J.9f!1t!c~~!:~ /- t-o 5 Date