Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 2 Ambulances

Unless otherwise specified, the term:

(a) "AMBULANCE" shall mean any privately or publicly owned motor vehicle that is specifically designed or constructed and equipped to transport persons in need of emergency medical care and is licensed as an ambulance by the California Highway Patrol.

(b) "AMBULANCE COMPANY LICENSE" shall mean a certificate from the County of Ventura which verifies that the company has met the procedural requirements of the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency (VCEMSA) Policies and Procedures Manual for a license and is permitted to establish a base of ambulance operations in a designated ambulance service area.

(c) "AMBULANCE SERVICE AREA" shall mean those geographical areas established for the County of Ventura and shown on the Ambulance Service Map in the VCEMSA P/P Manual, and shall mean the area in which a holder of an ambulance company license may establish a base of operations.

(d) "BOARD" shall mean the Board of Supervisors of the County of Ventura.

(e) "COUNTY" or "VC" shall mean County of Ventura.

(f) "EMCC" shall mean the Ventura County Emergency Medical Care Committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors in accordance with the mandate in the California Health and Safety Code.

(g) "EMERGENCY CALL" shall mean any of the following:

1. A request from an individual who is experiencing or who believes he is experiencing a life threat. Lights and sirens are used.

2. A request from public safety agencies for individuals who are or may be experiencing a life threat; or a sudden and unforeseen need for basic life support or first aid. Lights and sirens are used if needed.

3. A request to transport hospitalized patients to and from another facility for special emergency or urgently needed diagnostic services which the requesting hospital cannot provide. Lights and sirens are used if needed.

(h) "VCEMSA" shall mean the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency.

(i) "VCEMSA Admin" shall mean the Administrator of the VCEMSA.

(j) "VCEMSA MedDir" shall mean the Medical Director of the VCEMSA.

(k) "EMT-IA" shall mean Emergency Medical Technician-IA, who is a person who has successfully completed a basic EMT-IA course which meets State requirements and who has been certified by the VCEMSA MedDir.

(l) "EMT-P". An Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic is a person who has successfully completed a paramedic training program which meets State requirements and who has been certified by the VCEMSA MedDir.

(m) "EMERGENCY SERVICE" shall mean the service performed in response to an emergency call.

(n) "PATIENT" shall mean a wounded, injured, sick, invalid, dead, or incapacitated person who is evaluated or treated by personnel of any provider or emergency medical care or Basic Life Support or Advanced Life Support.

(Add. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

(o) "VENTURA COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE AGENCY (VCEMSA) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (P/P) MANUAL" shall include the County Ambulance Ordinance and the policies and operating procedures which are approved by the Ventura County VCEMSA Medical Director and/or Administrator.

(Add. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93).

No person, either as owner, agent, or otherwise, shall operate an ambulance or conduct, advertise, or otherwise be engaged in or profess to be engaged in the provision of emergency or nonemergency ambulance service upon the streets or any public way or place of the County, unless he holds a current valid license for an ambulance issued pursuant to this ordinance. An ambulance operated by or contracted for by an agency of the United States or the State of California shall not be required to be licensed hereunder.

An application for an ambulance company license shall be submitted and processed pursuant to the procedures set forth in the VCEMSA P/P Manual.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

It shall be unlawful for any owner to operate an ambulance or cause or permit the same to be driven or operated, unless there is in full force and effect at all times while such ambulance is being operated, insurance covering the owner of such ambulance against loss by reason of injury or damage that may result to persons or property from negligent operation of such ambulance. Insurance requirements as specified in the "Agreement for Emergency Ambulance Service and Transport of Indigent Persons" shall be complied with at all times, including but not limited to providing Certificates of Insurance to and naming the County of Ventura as Additional Insured.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

Licensing Requirements of this Article. Licensing requirements of this article shall not apply to an ambulance company or to the EMT-IAs or EMT-Ps who are:

(a) Rendering assistance to licensed ambulances in the case of a major catastrophe or emergency with which the licensed ambulances of County are insufficient or unable to cope.

(b) Operating from a location or headquarters outside of County to transport patients picked up beyond the limits of County to locations within County, or to transport patients picked up at licensed hospitals, nursing homes or extended care facilities within County to locations beyond the limits of County.

(c) Operating from a location or headquarters outside of County and providing emergency ambulance services at the request of and according to the conditions of the County of Ventura, or with the approval of the County of Ventura.

(d) Stationing an ambulance outside the service area for which the company is licensed in order to provide special ambulance service for an activity or event in accordance with a written agreement with the sponsor of the event. If the ambulance company is a prime contractor for emergency service, such an agreement may not cause the usual level of service to be lowered. The VCEMSA Administration shall be notified by ambulance companies when contracts are made for special ambulance service outside the service area of the licensee.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033; 4/27/93; Am. Ord. 4099—10/3/95)

Ambulance personnel in Ventura County shall be certified as EMT-IA or EMT-P pursuant to the procedures set forth in the VCEMSA P/P Manual.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

No vehicle shall be operated for ambulance purposes, and no person shall drive, attend, or permit to be operated for such purpose on the streets, or any public way or place of County unless it shall be under the immediate supervision and direction of two (2) people, who are at least EMT-IA certified and authorized by the Ventura County, except under conditions cited in Section 2423-1.3. Applications shall be submitted and processed pursuant to the procedures set forth in the VCEMSA P/P Manual.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

No person shall drive an ambulance vehicle unless he or she is holding a currently valid California State Ambulance Driver's Certificate and is also at least EMT-IA certified.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

The VCEMSA may charge a certification fee, the rate for which is to be established by the Board of Supervisors.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

The Board, on its own motion or upon application of a licensee, may set, establish, change, modify or amend the schedule of rates that may be charged by a licensee.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

(a) No rates shall be set, established, changed, modified or amended without a hearing before the Board, except for consumer price index or other changes as provided for in ambulance provider agreements or as hereinafter specified.

(b) Notice of such hearing shall be given to each licensee by the VCEMSA Admin.

(c) Maximum fees for "Supplies and Equipment" and "Disposable Items" have been established in the existing approved Rates Schedule (EMS P/P 112). Maximum fees for these, and any added, items may, in the future, be set, established, changed, modified, or amended by the VCEMSA except that consumer price index or other changes provided for in ambulance provider agreements shall be in accordance with such agreements. The VCEMSA may delete items from these categories or may add to these categories additional items which are medically indicated and approved by the VCEMSA.

(1) Prior to making changes as permitted by this subsection (c), the VCEMSA shall notify Ventura County EMS agencies and the public and shall provide an appropriate opportunity for public input at an Emergency Medical Care Committee meeting.

(2) The VCEMSA shall notify the Board of Supervisors via the informational Agenda of any changes made pursuant to this subsection (c). The Board of Supervisors, after public hearing, may overrule any changes made by the VCEMSA pursuant to this subsection (c).

(Added Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

(Am. Ord. 4117—7/2/96)

Any license or permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this article may be suspended or revoked by the Director of the Health Care Agency upon grounds and after following the procedures outlined in VCEMSA P/P Manual.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

The Dir-HCA shall deny, suspend or revoke the license of an ambulance company if the operator:

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

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

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

(d) Has held a license and abandons ambulance operation for a period of seven (7) days. Acts of God and other acts beyond the control of the licensee shall not be abandonment within the meaning of this section; or

(e) Has been convicted of any offense punishable as a felony during the proceeding ten (10) years.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)

The Dir-HCA may deny, revoke or suspend the license of an ambulance company if the operator has violated the standards and regulations set out in the VCEMSA P/P Manual.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 3410—12/19/78; Am. Ord. 3694—7/10/84; Am. Ord. 4033—4/27/93)