Santa Clara County Municipal Code Art. 2 Definitions

Unless otherwise specifically provided or required by the context, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this article.

(a) Ambulance: "Ambulance" means (1) a vehicle specially constructed, modified or equipped, or arranged, used or operated for the purpose of transporting sick, injured, convalescent, infirm, or otherwise incapacitated person(s) in need of medical care, which operates or may operate with emergency lights and siren or the equivalent; (2) a privately owned EMS Utility Vehicle (EUV) used for prehospital emergency medical response, which operates or may operate with emergency lights and siren or the equivalent; and (3) an air ambulance or rescue aircraft, as defined in Title 22, Division 9, of the California Code of Regulations. The meaning includes but is not limited to privately owned ambulances and paramedic units.

(b) Ambulance service: "Ambulance service" means the activity, business or service for hire, profit or otherwise of (1) transporting one or more persons by ambulance on or in any of the streets, roads, highways, alleys or any public way or place; or (2) utilizing an EUV or rescue aircraft for prehospital emergency medical services.

(c) Advanced life support (ALS): "Advanced life support" means special services designed to provide definitive prehospital emergency medical care, including, but not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, advanced airway management, intravenous therapy, administration of specified drugs and other medicinal preparations, and other specified techniques and procedures administered by authorized personnel under the direct supervision of a base hospital as part of a local EMS system at the scene of an emergency, during transport to an acute care hospital, during interfacility transfer, and while in the emergency department of an acute care hospital until responsibility is assumed by the emergency or other medical staff of that hospital.

(d) Basic life support (BLS): "Basic life support" means emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures which, as a minimum, include recognizing respiratory and cardiac arrest and starting the proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain life without invasive techniques until the victim may be transported or until advanced life support is available.

(e) Attendant: "Attendant" means a trained and/or qualified individual who, regardless of whether he/she also serves as driver, is responsible for the care of patients and who has met all license, certification and other requirements in applicable state laws and regulations. The term includes Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and authorized registered nurses, as those terms are used in Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code, § 1797 et seq.

(f) County communications: "County communications" means the County Communications Center, County Communications System.

(g) Critical Care transport: "Critical Care Transport" (CCT) means the transport of a critical care patient between medical facilities where it has been determined by the patient's treating physician that such transport requires medical supervision by advanced life support providers with critical care training or experience.

(h) Driver: "Driver" means an individual who drives a ground ambulance and who has met all license, certification and other requirements in applicable state laws and regulations.

(i) Ambulance service permit: "Ambulance service permit" means written authorization by the County to provide ALS or BLS or CCT ambulance service.

(j) EMS: "EMS" means emergency medical services.

(k) EMS agency: "EMS agency" has the same meaning as "local EMS agency" in Health and Safety Code § 1797 et seq., of Division 2.5.

(l) EMS Aircraft: "EMS Aircraft" means any aircraft utilized for the purpose of prehospital and interfacility emergency patient response and transport. EMS Aircraft includes air ambulances and all categories of rescue aircraft.

(m) Health officer: "Health officer" means the County Health Officer.

(n) Permit officer: "Permit officer" means the EMS administrator or other official designated by the health officer.

(o) Response: "Response" means the time interval commencing with the receipt of a request for service by an ambulance service provider to the arrival of an ambulance operated by the service provider at the scene, site or place of the request.

(p) Permit holder: An entity issued an ambulance service permit according to the provisions of this chapter.

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