Fresno Municipal Code Art. 15 Ambulance Ordinance

This article shall be known as the ambulance ordinance of the City of Fresno. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970).

(a) Unless the particular provision of the context otherwise requires, the definitions and provisions contained in this section shall govern the construction, meaning, and application of words and phrases used in this article, and, except to the extent that a particular word or phrase is otherwise specifically defined in this section, the definitions and provisions contained in Article 2 (commencing with Section 1-201) of Chapter 1 and in Section 7-602 of this Code shall also govern the construction, meaning, and application of words and phrases used in this article. The definition of each word or phrase shall constitute, to the extent applicable, the definition of each word or phrase which is derivative from it, or from which it is a derivative, as the case may be.

(b) "Ambulance" means any vehicle equipped or intended to be used for transporting the wounded, injured, sick, dead, or a medical patient and designed to be used as an emergency vehicle for such purpose. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970).

Whenever the Chief of Police or other employee of the Fresno Police Department receives a request for the dispatching of an ambulance to any place in aid of any person, such dispatch shall be made in compliance with this article. Only ambulances from services which have been registered and remain in compliance with the provisions of this article shall be so dispatched. The inadvertent failure to follow this article or a decision made under emergency conditions to ignore this article shall not be cause for discipline of any employee or give rise to a cause of action by any person. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970).

(a) Any person conducting an ambulance service and desiring to be registered or desiring to renew his registration hereunder for the calling of ambulances from his service shall submit an application therefor to the Chief of Police. The application shall be in a form approved by the Chief of Police and shall include the following:

(1) The applicant's name, home address, business address, and telephone numbers. This includes information as to persons doing business under fictitious names, members of partnerships, and officers of corporations or associations.

(2) A list of vehicles which will be used as ambulances, including a full description of each vehicle and its license number. Proof of compliance of each vehicle with the requirements of subsections (d) and (e) of Section 9-1506 shall be submitted with the application.

(3) The names of the persons who will drive such vehicles and who will act as medical, paramedical or first-aid personnel in the use of the vehicle. This information shall include the certification, training, and skills possessed by each of such persons.

(4) The full description of the location and operation of the applicant's place of business, including radio operation.

(5) Such other and further information as the Chief of Police may require.

(b) The application shall be under penalty of perjury and shall not be accepted unless it is clearly filled out in full with all required information and is accompanied by the application fee designated in the Master Fee Resolution. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970; Am. Ord. 75-102, § 1, eff. 10-9-75; Am. Ord. 80-115, § 83, eff. 8-8-80).

The Chief of Police shall cause an investigation to be made of the facts stated in the application, and shall within thirty days register the applicant as a registered ambulance service if he makes the following findings:

(1) That the applicant and ambulance personnel are of good moral character;

(2) That applicant has not had an ambulance permit revoked for good and sufficient cause within the last twenty-four months or has never had an ambulance permit revoked for cause involving gross negligence or moral turpitude;

(3) That the statements made in the application are probably true;

(4) That the application fee has been paid;

(5) That no fact (of which he has knowledge) exists which would be cause for revocation of the ambulance registration.

In the event that the Chief of Police makes a finding unfavorable to the applicant, this finding shall be reported in writing to the applicant, with a copy to the Chief Administrative Officer, within ten days of the finding; otherwise the applicant shall be registered. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970).

(a) All ambulance services shall be subject to the regulations contained in this article, and shall agree in writing to comply therewith, on a form approved by the Chief of Police and the City Attorney.

(b) Emergency ambulance service shall be made available during the twenty-four hours of the day.

(c) Requests for ambulance emergency service will at all times be answered as expeditiously and safely as possible and in accordance with the laws of the State of California and the city. The receiver of the police call shall inform the caller whether or not an ambulance is available for service and its estimated time of arrival at the scene to service the call.

(d) Ambulances and the equipment of all ambulances used in the emergency service shall comply with the requirements of the Department of California Highway Patrol, the California Vehicle Code, and the California Administrative Code (Title 13, subchapter 5).

(e) All ambulances utilized in said ambulance service shall be two-way radio equipped and shall also be equipped and designed to meet the requirements of the Medical Requirements for Ambulance Design and Equipment of the Committee on Emergency Medical Services, Division of Medical Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, published September, 1968, which are therein designated and which are indicated as follows:

General Vehicular Design, page 9:

General Safety Standards

Identification of ambulances

Speed and acceleration

Riding characteristics (Exception: While puncture-proof tires are recommended, first-grade tires in good condition must be provided. Recapped or retreaded tires are prohibited.)

The floor

Driver Area, page 10:

Separation

Access

Lighting

Environmental control

Patient Area, pages 11, 12, and 13:

Crash-stable fasteners

Equipment

Doors

Steps

Communication

Illumination

Environmental control

Interior surfaces

Restraints

Power outlets

Three copies of said Medical Requirements for Ambulance Design and Equipment shall be kept in the office of the City Clerk.

The Chief of Police, in his discretion, may impose such additional design and equipment requirements for all ambulances as may reasonably be required to provide adequate emergency ambulance service to ill or injured persons, provided that any such additional requirements shall be contained in the following sections of the Medical Requirements for Ambulance Design and Equipment:

Security and Rescue Equipment; Emergency Care Equipment and Supplies; Airway Care; Artificial Ventilation, and Oxygenation; External Cardiac Compression; Immobilization of Fractures; Wound Dressings; Prevention and Treatment of Shock; Emergency Childbirth; Transportation of Newborn Infants; Acute Poisoning; Miscellaneous Equipment; Special Equipment for Use by Physicians or Others Trained in Its Use; Communication and Documentation.

Any additional design and equipment requirements shall apply to all ambulances and all ambulance registrants. The additional requirements shall be in writing with reasonable notice thereof to all ambulance registrants.

The provisions of this subsection which directly impose requirements from the above-mentioned publication shall not apply to an ambulance owned and operated in the city by an ambulance service on or before July 1, 1970. Requirements, other than for portable equipment, which may be later imposed by the Chief of Police, shall not apply to an ambulance owned or operated in the city by an ambulance service on the date notice of such requirement is given by the Chief of Police. Except when an ambulance service is wholly purchased by one purchaser, ambulances so exempted from said provisions and later requirements may not be transferred and registered to be given calls under this chapter.

(f) All ambulance owners and operators, attendants and drivers of ambulances shall be properly qualified, licensed, and certificated in accordance with the requirements of the Department of California Highway Patrol, the California Vehicle Code, and the California Administrative Code (Title 13, subchapter 5), and possess valid advanced Red Cross first aid course certificates. Attendants and drivers of ambulances shall also demonstrate proficiency in emergency care for injuries and illnesses involving vital signs and their significance, and for injuries, burns, environmental emergencies (such as exposure, electrical shock, etc.), poisoning, childbirth, management of the emotionally disturbed and unruly, common medical emergencies (such as fainting, stroke, heart attack, convulsions, acute alcoholism, vomiting, etc.), and in the use of equipment and supplies of ambulances. This will include proficiency in life-threatening emergencies such as airway stoppage, cardiac arrest, bleeding, and shock. The Chief of Police may appoint two or more doctors of medicine or surgery to examine drivers and attendants to determine whether they can demonstrate the proficiency required by this subsection, and report thereon to the Chief of Police. No future change in the proficiency standards shall be made and applied without written notice to all ambulance registrants and a reasonable time afforded for compliance therewith. The Chief of Police shall place no calls for an ambulance having a driver or attendant who does not meet the requisites of this subsection.

(g) The ambulance service shall furnish a certificate of liability insurance coverage naming the City of Fresno as an insured, insuring it in the amount of $100,000/$300,000 public liability and $100,000 property damage, against any liability which it may incur in connection with its request or requests for ambulance service and in connection with the furnishing of any such service by the person or persons dispatched on the call. The ambulance service shall agree to save and hold the city harmless from any and all claims, actions, or causes of action, of whatever nature, arising out of or in any way connected with the requesting of ambulance service by the city, or the furnishing of the same by the ambulance service, except those arising out of acts or omissions of the city or its employees and not involving an act or omission of the ambulance service.

(h) All added or substituted ambulances shall be reported to the Chief of Police, together with a ten dollar fee for each ambulance. All changes in personnel shall also be reported. All information required by Section 9-1704 shall be supplied.

(i) The Council shall, from time to time, but not less frequently than every two years, by resolution, fix the maximum fees to be charged by ambulance services for any services provided by such ambulance service within the city limits. A change in such maximum fee schedule may be considered, provided, that a request for such change is submitted, in writing, by an approved registrant in good standing, to the Chief Administrative Officer who shall conduct a hearing on such request and shall submit his findings and recommendations to the Council.

(j) When an ambulance from more than one ambulance service, whether or not the service is registered under this article, arrives at the scene of an accident or injury, any police officer at the scene may in his discretion decide which ambulance shall serve the call; and no cause of action shall arise in any person because of his choice of ambulance.

(k) All registrations issued in accordance with this article shall be valid for a period of twelve months from the date of issuance.

(l) Any duties imposed by this article upon the Chief of Police may be delegated by him, upon approval by the Chief Administrative Officer, to the Fire Chief or, as to the duty to dispatch ambulance service only, to any county official having the responsibility for the dispatching of ambulances. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970; Am. Ord. 75-102, §§ 2—4, eff. 10-9-75).

Any ambulance service renewal may be denied when any grounds exist which would have been a ground for refusal to issue the registration, or when there has been a violation of any of the terms of this article or rules promulgated pursuant thereto, or when the registrant's service to the public is so inadequate or inefficient that, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, it appears that it amounts to a disservice to the public, or when in the case of an ambulance service, the service is bankrupt or so insolvent that, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, it appears likely that registrant will provide inadequate ambulance service. (Added Ord. 2003-67, §§ 7, 30, eff. 8-31-03).

Any person denied registration or renewal of registration upon application therefor, may appeal the decision of the Chief of Police under Chapter 1, Article 4. Whenever an appeal is available under this article and no appeal is filed within the time prescribed, the action of the Chief of Police shall be final. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970; Am. Ord. 75-102, § 6, eff. 10-9-75; Am. Ord. 88-8, § 7, eff. 2-12-88; Am. Ord. 98-65, § 10, eff. 10-1-98; Am. Ord. 2003-67, § 22, eff. 8-31-03; Am. Ord. 2005-14, § 27, eff. 4-9-05).

(a) Whenever the Police Department receives a request for the dispatch of an ambulance it shall dispatch the ambulances in conformance with this section.

(b) Registrants shall be called upon a formula or formulas based upon the number of ambulances available for service by the registrant's service. An ambulance available for service is one which has a crew of at least two persons with the ambulance and which is ready at that time to be dispatched. The formula or formulas shall be devised to alternate, as much as possible considering the number of vehicles of each applicant, between the various registrants, i.e., the call shall alternate between services but an applicant with three ambulances will be called three times while a registrant with five ambulances will be called five times, etc.

(c) Notwithstanding the above, should the Police Department receive information that a particular ambulance or ambulance service is not available on any particular call, or the estimated time of arrival at the scene is excessive, the next ambulance on the rotation list may be called. (Added Ord. 70-45, 1970; Am. Ord. 73-155, eff. 2-15-74; Am. Ord. 74-21, eff. 2-15-74).