Thousand Oaks Municipal Code Ch. 15 Ambulances

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

(a) “Ambulance” shall mean any privately or publicly owned motor vehicle that is specially designed or constructed and equipped, and is intended to be used for, and is maintained or operated for transporting patients and shall include, but not be restricted to, emergency vehicles used for such purpose but shall not include funeral coaches or hearses.

(b) “Ambulance certificate” shall mean a certificate certifying an ambulance as having complied with the provisions of this chapter.

(c) “Ambulance service area” shall mean those ambulance service areas established for the County and designated on the ambulance service area map in the EMRM, Appendix # 1.

(d) “Attendant” shall mean an employee of the licensee holding a valid ambulance attendant's permit.

(e) “Board” shall mean the Board of Supervisors of the County of Ventura.

(f) “County” shall mean the County of Ventura.

(g) “Driver” shall mean a person who is qualified as an attendant and a driver.

(h) “EMCC” shall mean the Emergency Medical Care Committee appointed by the Board.

(i) “EMRM” shall mean the Emergency Medical Response Manual adopted by the Board and the City.

(j) “Emergency call” shall mean a request for the dispatch of an ambulance to transport or provide other assistance for a person apparently having a sudden and unforeseen need of immediate medical attention.

(k) “Emergency service” shall mean the service performed in response to an emergency call.

(l) “License” shall mean a County ambulance company license.

(m) “Licensee” shall mean any person to whom a County ambulance company license has been issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(n) “Patient” shall mean a wounded, injured, sick, invalid, dead, or incapacitated person.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

The EMRM, 1970 Edition, Divisions III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII, adopted by the Board on September 29, 1970, and subsequently adopted by the Council on December 15, 1970, three (3) copies of which are available in the office of the City Clerk, is hereby adopted and incorporated in this chapter by reference as though set forth in this chapter in full.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

No person, either as owner, agent, or otherwise, shall operate, conduct, advertise, or otherwise be engaged in, or profess to be engaged in, the business or service of the transportation of patients upon the streets or public ways or places of the City unless such person holds a current valid license for an ambulance issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. An ambulance operated by an agency of the United States or the State shall not be required to be licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

Every owner operating an ambulance service from a place of business within the City for six (6) months prior to February 4, 1971, shall on or before May 5, 1971, conform to the standards of the EMRM and obtain a license as required by the provisions of this chapter. Any violation of the ambulance operating regulations set forth in Division IV of the EMRM during the ninety-day (90) period set forth in this section shall be prima facie cause for refusal of a license.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

Applications for ambulance licenses shall be submitted and processed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter I of Title 3 of this Code and Division I of the EMRM. If a joint Exercise of Powers Agreement is executed between the City and the County for the County to perform the licensing services required by this section, then such applications shall be processed by the County in accordance with the provisions of this section and the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

There shall be available in each ambulance operated a schedule of rates. The Council, on its own motion or upon the application of a licensee, may set, establish, change, modify, or amend the schedule of rates to be charged by a licensee. No rates shall be set, established, changed, modified, or amended without a hearing before the Council. A notice of such hearing shall be given to each licensee in writing by the City Clerk at least ten (10) days before such hearing, and the Council may give such additional notice as it shall deem necessary. If a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement is executed between the City and the County for the County to perform the licensing services required by this section, then such changes shall be processed by the County in accordance with the provisions of this section and the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

No person shall operate or permit the operation of any vehicle for ambulance purposes on the streets or public ways or places of the City unless the ambulance shall contain a valid ambulance certificate.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

It shall be unlawful for any owner to operate an ambulance, or cause or permit an ambulance to be driven or operated, and no certificate for such operation shall be granted unless there is on file with the City Clerk and in full force and effect at all times while such ambulance is being operated a policy of insurance, approved by the City, issued by a company authorized to do business in the State, insuring the owner of such ambulance against loss by reason of injuries or damages which may result to persons or property from the negligent operation or defective construction of such ambulance or from the violation of the provisions of this chapter or of any other law of the State or the United States. Such policy shall be in a sum of not less than One Hundred Thousand and no/100ths ($100,000.00) Dollars for personal injuries to, or the death of, any one person in any single accident and Five Hundred Thousand and no/ 100ths ($500,000.00) Dollars on account of personal injuries to, or the death of, two (2) or more persons in any one accident, and the limits on each such vehicle shall not be less than One Hundred Thousand and no/100ths ($100,000.00) Dollars for damages to, or the destruction of, property in any one accident. Such insurance as is afforded in such policy shall apply to the City and to the following individuals as additional insureds:

(a) To the City of Thousand Oaks and to each city within the ambulance service area; and

(b) To the officers and employees thereof while acting within the scope of their duties.

Such policy shall contain an endorsement providing that the policy of insurance will not be canceled until notice in writing shall have been given to the City Clerk, City of Thousand Oaks, 1429 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, California 91360, at least thirty (30) days prior to the time such cancellation shall become effective.

The owner shall forthwith replace a canceled policy with another policy as set forth in this section. Each insurance policy shall provide that there shall be a continuing liability notwithstanding any recovery.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

Applications for ambulance certificates shall be accepted and processed pursuant to the regulations set forth in Division III the EMRM. If a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement is executed between the City and the County for the County to perform the licensing services required by this section, then the certificate required shall be that issued by the Board in accordance with the provisions of this section and the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement. (§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

No vehicle shall be operated for ambulance purposes, and no person shall drive, attend, or permit a vehicle to be operated for such purposes on the streets or public ways or places of the City unless such vehicle shall be under the immediate supervision and direction of a person who is holding a currently valid State Ambulance Driver’s License and City driver’s permit and accompanied by a person in a possession of a valid City attendant's permit.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS. eff. February 4. 1971)

Applications for driver’s and attendant’s permits shall be submitted and processed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 1 of Title 3 of this Code and Division III of the EMRM.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to an ambulance or to the driver, attendant, or driver-attendant of an ambulance which:

(a) Is rendering assistance to licensed ambulances in the case of a major catastrophe or emergency with which the licensed ambulances of the City are insufficient or unable to cope; or

(b) Is operated from a location or headquarters outside the City to transport patients picked up at licensed hospitals, nursing homes or extended care facilities within the City to locations outside the City.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)

Any license or permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may be suspended or revoked by the Chief of Police upon the grounds and following the procedures set forth in Section 5-15.14 of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS. eff. February 4, 1971)

(a) Mandatory revocation of licenses. The Chief of Police shall revoke the license or permit of any person who:

(1) Is convicted of the violation of the provisions of Section 23103 of the Vehicle Code of the State during the period when his license or permit is valid; or

(2) Is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to the provisions of Section 290 of the Penal Code of the State; or

(3) Habitually or excessively uses or is addicted to the use of narcotics or dangerous drugs or has been convicted of any offense relating to the use, sale, possession, or transportation of narcotics or habit-forming or dangerous drugs; or

(4) Continuously or excessively uses intoxicating beverages; or

(5) Within the three (3) year period immediately preceding the application, or under a permit, has been under suspension, revocation, or probation by the Department of Motor Vehicles of the State for a cause involving the safe operation of a motor vehicle or has been convicted of failing to stop and render aid in an accident involving injury or death, driving while intoxicated, or reckless driving involving bodily injury; or

(6) Within the three (3) year period immediately preceding the application, or under a permit, has been found a negligent operator of the motor vehicle by the Department of Motor Vehicles of the State; or

(7) Does not meet the minimum medical standards provided by State or local laws; or

(8) Has knowingly falsified or failed to disclose a material fact in his application; or

(9) Holds a license and abandons ambulance operations for a period of thirty (30) days. Acts of God and other acts beyond the control of the licensee shall not be an abandonment within the meaning of this subsection.

(b) Permissible suspension and revocation of licenses and permits. The Chief of Police may suspend or revoke a license or permit of any person who:

(1) Has been convicted of any offense punishable as a felony or has been convicted of theft during the preceding ten (10) year period; or

(2) Has committed any act involving moral turpitude; or

(3) Has been involved in any motor vehicle accident causing death or bodily injury during the preceding two (2) year period; or

(4) Has been involved in three (3) or more motor vehicle accidents during the year immediately preceding the application or the date of suspension or revocation; or

(5) Has violated any provisions of the Vehicle Code of the State or any rules and regulations promulgated by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol relating to the operation of authorized emergency vehicles; or

(6) Has violated the standards and regulations set forth in the EMRM.

(c) Permissible suspension or revocation of certificates. The Chief of Police may revoke or suspend the ambulance certificate of any vehicle which fails to meet the mechanical and equipment requirements set forth in the EMRM.

(§ 1, Ord. 185-NS, eff. February 4, 1971)