Santa Clara County Municipal Code Art. 1 General Provisions

The purposes of this chapter are:

(1) To enact policies and regulations which are necessary for the public health and safety regarding the dispatching and operation of ambulances;

(2) To enact policies and regulations for permitting and regulating ambulances, including EMS aircraft, which operate within or from any point within Santa Clara County;

(3) To regulate ambulance personnel and protect the public from the unsafe and unsanitary operation of ambulances;

(4) To allow for adequate ambulance services in all areas of the County; and

(5) To allow for the orderly and lawful operation of the emergency medical services system pursuant to the provisions of Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code commencing with § 1797 et seq.

(Ord. No. NS-300.513, § 2, 2-23-93; Ord. No. NS-300.741, § 1, 8-23-05)

Providers of advanced life support operating within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County must comply with the provisions of this chapter and all regulations adopted to administer such provisions.

All other ambulance service providers must comply with the provisions of this chapter and all regulations adopted to administer such provisions, when operating in the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and when operating within the limits of those incorporated cities which have adopted this chapter.

(Ord. No. NS-300.513, § 2, 2-23-93)

The provisions of this chapter and regulations enacted pursuant to such provisions shall not apply:

(1) To vehicles which provide ambulance services or to persons engaged in such transportation, where such services are rendered during any "state of war emergency," or a duly proclaimed "state of emergency," or "local emergency" as defined in the California Emergency Services Act (Government Code § 8550 et seq.), at the request of the State Office of Emergency Services or the EMS Agency); or

(2) During any period (not to exceed 30 consecutive days, but renewable every 30 days) when the EMS Agency has determined in writing that adequate emergency ambulance service will not be available from existing permittees.

(3) To ambulances responding to calls for service outside of this County.

(4) To ambulances provided by the state or federal government.

(5) To ALS ambulance service provided by a municipality or fire district which has been providing such service continuously since June 1, 1980.

(Ord. No. NS-300.513, § 2, 2-23-93)