CHAPTER 8.30
MUNICIPAL AMBULANCE SERVICE
8.30.010 Purpose.
It is the purpose and intent of the city council to continue to provide the highest reasonable level of emergency ambulance services to such persons within city who may be in need of such care. It is further the intent of the city council to ensure that such care shall be provided in a timely and professional manner on a continuous twenty-four hour basis by the Petaluma fire department as a municipal function. (Ord. 1867 NCS § 1 (part), 1991.)
8.30.020 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following definitions shall apply:
A. "Ambulance" shall mean any vehicle that is constructed, equipped, and regularly provided or offered to be provided for transportation in the recumbent position of persons suffering from any physical or psychological illness, injury, disability, or infirmity.
B. "Advanced life support" shall mean and include special services designed to provide definitive pre-hospital emergency medical care, including, but not limited to, cardio-pulmonary 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 at the scene of an emergency, during transport to an acute care hospital, during inter-facility transfer, and while in the emergency department of an acute care hospital until responsibility is assumed by the emergency or medical staff of that hospital.
C. "City limits" or "corporate limits" includes all areas which are physically located within the corporate limits of city as of the effective date of this chapter and any later areas subsequently annexed so as to become a part of the corporate limits of city.
D. "Emergency" shall mean a condition or situation in which an individual has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the potential for such need is perceived by emergency medical personnel or a public safety agency.
E. "Person" means any individual or entity as defined in Section 1.04.010 of the Petaluma Municipal Code. For the purposes of this chapter, "person" shall include all individuals, firms or principals having a financial interest in an ambulance or ambulance service whose operations are subject to this chapter.
(Ord. 1867 NCS §7 (part), 1991.)
8.30.030 Right to provide emergency ambulance services vested in city.
The exclusive right to provide emergency ambulance services within city shall be vested in city. The standard operating level for emergency ambulance services within city shall be advanced life support on a continuous twenty-four-hour basis. Resources beyond or in addition to the standard operating level may be provided at less than an advanced life support level. (Ord. 1867 NCS §7 (part), 1991.)
8.30.040 Exceptions.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the following activities:
A. Operation of an ambulance owned by or operated under contract to the United States Government, when providing service directly to the United States Government or any agency thereof.
B. Operation of an ambulance within city which does not normally serve city, but has been requested by city to provide assistance during periods when multiple requests for emergency ambulance services have been received, and the assistance is necessary for the timely provision of emergency ambulance services.
C. Operation of an ambulance during a declared state of emergency when such operation is in cooperation with the emergency mitigation efforts being conducted by city.
D. Any ambulance passing through city when that ambulance’s point of departure and destination are not within the corporate limits of city.
(Ord. 1867 NCS §7 (part), 1991.)
8.30.050 Violations.
It is unlawful for any person to provide emergency ambulance services within city contrary to the provisions of this chapter. Any such person violating or causing the violation of any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars for each day of violation, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or both. (Ord. 1867 NCS §7 (part), 1991.)