Chapter 5.08
AMBULANCES
Sections:
5.08.010 Purpose.
5.08.020 Definitions.
5.08.030 Business license required for each ambulance company.
5.08.040 Application for business license – Issuance.
5.08.050 Denial, revocation or suspension of business license.
5.08.060 Insurance and indemnification.
5.08.070 State license and standards and requirements.
5.08.080 Ambulance attendants.
5.08.090 Verification.
5.08.100 King County Medical Program Director authority.
5.08.110 Authority of department.
5.08.120 Rates to be filed.
5.08.130 Response criteria.
5.08.140 Community events.
5.08.150 Violation a civil violation.
Stat. Ref.: For provisions on ambulance services, see Chapter 18.73 RCW.
5.08.010 Purpose.
The City Council declares it to be in the public interest, and for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the City and its environs to provide for the highest level of emergency medical services reasonably practicable. The City Council finds it to be in the public interest to provide for the inspection, regulation and control of emergency medical services to achieve high standards and thereby to eliminate inadequate, improper and harmful practices that may endanger the health and safety of the people. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.020 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
A. “Ambulance,” means any privately owned vehicle that is especially designed, constructed, equipped, maintained or used for the transportation of patients who are sick, injured or otherwise incapacitated, which is operated as part of an ambulance company for hire.
B. “Ambulance attendant” means any trained or otherwise qualified individual responsible for the operation of an ambulance and the care of the patients, whether or not the medical attendant also serves as a driver, who is the holder of a valid certificate issued under this chapter.
C. “Ambulance company” means any person, corporation or other legal entity, as defined in IMC 1.04.010(J), who operates an ambulance for hire which:
1. Is stationed within the corporate limits of the City; or
2. Is dispatched from within or without the corporate limits of the City and repeatedly or customarily makes trips for hire within the City to pick up injured or sick fares; or
3. Makes any trips into the City for hire to pick up injured or sick fares after occasional or repeated advertising, within the City, for such service.
Provided, that the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any ambulance which shall pass through the City in the delivery of fares picked up at points beyond the corporate limits of the City.
D. “City Clerk” means the City Clerk or other City employee designated by the Mayor as licensing official under this chapter.
E. “Department” means the Joint Fire Department providing consolidated services to the City.
F. “Fire official” means the Fire Chief or such other of Eastside Fire and Rescue employees as the Fire Chief may designate to perform the duties provided for in this chapter.
G. “Patient” means an individual who is sick, injured, wounded or otherwise incapacitated or helpless. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.030 Business license required for each ambulance company.
Every person who operates an ambulance company shall be required to obtain a business license from the City Clerk. The business license shall be renewed on an annual basis. The City Clerk shall not issue such business license unless the applicant has fulfilled all requirements of this chapter and any applicable provisions of State law relating to personnel, equipment and operations including but not limited to Chapter 18.73 RCW and Chapter 246-976 WAC as now or hereafter amended. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.040 Application for business license –Issuance.
Application for a business license to operate an ambulance company shall be made upon forms provided by the City and shall contain:
A. Name, home address and telephone number of the applicant;
B. Business name under which the ambulance company will be operated within the City, and business address and telephone number;
C. The number of ambulances to be initially placed in service within the City;
D. The number of licensed ambulance attendants initially to be employed;
E. A roster of ambulances to be used in the City with proof that each ambulance is currently licensed as an ambulance by the State of Washington;
F. A roster of certified ambulance attendants with proof that each attendant is currently certified as an emergency medical technician (EMT) by the State of Washington (including certification expiration date);
G. Proof that ambulances and personnel are verified trauma providers as provided in Chapter 246-976 WAC;
H. Certificate of insurance and indemnification as required in IMC 5.04.060; and
I. The fee as required by IMC 5.02.070.
Prior to the issuance of a business license, the application and all pertinent records shall be reviewed and all equipment proposed for use shall be inspected by the fire official, who shall determine whether said records and equipment conform to all the requirements of this chapter, and any rules or regulations referenced herein or issued hereunder. Upon approval of the application, the City Clerk shall issue an ambulance operator’s business license. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.050 Denial, revocation or suspension of business license.
The issuance of a business license to operate an ambulance company may be denied, or such license may be suspended or revoked by the City Clerk, upon the recommendation of the fire official, when the public interest will be served thereby, upon any of the following grounds:
A. The making of a false statement of material fact in the application for the business license or any data or information required to be contained in such application attached thereto; or
B. Failure to comply with any provision of this chapter or any rules or regulations referenced herein or issued pursuant to this chapter; or
C. Failure to pay City business and occupation tax pursuant to Chapter 5.04 IMC; or
D. Overcharging of customer rates set forth in the company’s schedule of rates filed pursuant to IMC 5.04.120; or
E. Failure to maintain ambulances and equipment to the standards set forth in Chapter 246-976 WAC. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.060 Insurance and indemnification.
No ambulance operator’s business license shall be issued, nor shall such license be valid after issuance, nor shall any ambulance be operated in the City, unless the operator maintains a policy or policies of insurance against claims for injuries to persons or damages to property which may arise from or in connection with the performance of activities associated with the operation of the ambulance company. Such insurance shall name the City as an additional insured. The ambulance company shall also indemnify and hold the City harmless from any causes of action arising from the operation of the ambulance company. The minimum scope and limits of coverage shall be set by the City’s risk manager or other person designated by the Mayor. A certificate of insurance shall accompany the application for license and shall be maintained on a continuous basis through subsequent license renewal periods. The certificate of insurance, policy and indemnification shall be in a form approved to by the City Attorney. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.070 State license and standard and requirements.
All ambulances operating in the City must be licensed by the State of Washington and must meet the standards and requirements set forth in Chapter 246-976 WAC, as now or hereafter amended. Proof of a State license as a transport ambulance must be provided with any application for a City business license for each transport vehicle. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.080 Ambulance attendants.
Each ambulance company shall have, for each ambulance in service, on duty and available for immediate response, 2 ambulance attendants who are currently certified as emergency medical technicians (EMT), as provided in Chapter 246-976 WAC. A certificate of license shall be carried on the person of each ambulance attendant while on duty. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.090 Verification.
Any ambulance company operating in the City must be a verified trauma provider and must meet the requirements for personnel and equipment as required in Chapter 246-976 WAC for trauma providers. The ambulance company must specifically be authorized to act as a trauma provider by the Seattle/King County trauma council or successor. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.100 King County Medical Program Director authority.
Each ambulance company shall provide proof at time of business license application that such ambulance company is verified to provide prehospital patient care by the King County Medical Program Director or successor as State approved and has appropriate licensing certification. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.110 Authority of department.
The department shall make all necessary investigations and inspections for enforcement of this chapter. As a condition of issuance of a business license, the operator of each ambulance company consents to the following:
An authorized representative of the department shall be permitted to make regular inspections of any ambulance company operating under a business license issued pursuant to IMC 5.08.040, at all reasonable hours, with or without advance notice, upon the presentation of appropriate credentials to an authorized representative of the company, and shall make such reports relative to conditions existing at such times and in such manner as the department may direct. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.120 Rates to be filed.
Each ambulance company applying for a business license or renewal of license pursuant to this chapter shall, at the time of filing its application therefor, file with the City Clerk its schedule of rates to be charged for services during the license period for which application is made. Such schedule of rates shall be a matter of public record open to public inspection in the City Clerk’s office during normal City business hours and such schedule must be adhered to by the licensee throughout the period for which the license is issued. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.130 Response criteria.
The City will provide first response emergency medical services (EMS). Ambulance companies receiving a direct request for EMS services shall notify the fire department’s 911 communications center immediately so that a fire department first response can be initiated. The only exception to this requirement shall be for the transport of stable patients from 1 medical facility to another and routine medical transports and exams.
The 911 system must be activated for all prehospital EMS primary examinations and unstable patient care.
The department shall establish ambulance response criteria and make such criteria known to each ambulance company at the time of application and renewal of business license.
Each ambulance company shall submit a response report quarterly or on demand of the fire official outlining compliance with the response criteria. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.140 Community events.
When an ambulance company is contracted to provide emergency medical standby (i.e., 10K fun runs, etc.) by community event promoters, the following conditions shall apply:
A. The ambulance company shall notify the fire official in writing 14 days prior to the date of the event, or as soon to the event as reasonably possible, stating the date, time and scope of standby responsibilities.
B. Ambulance companies engaging in standby activities shall notify the fire department’s 911 communications center immediately on all advanced life support/life threatening calls as required pursuant to IMC 5.04.130.
C. Ambulance company standby for handling basic life support calls must obtain prior approval and parameters for care set by the fire official.
D. All EMS activity provided by the ambulance company at such events shall be documented and a report forwarded to the fire official within 1 week subsequent to the completion of the event. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).
5.08.150 Violation a civil violation.
Violation of any provision of this chapter is a civil violation as provided for in Chapter 1.06 IMC, for which a monetary penalty may be assessed and abatement may be required as provided therein. This section shall be administered by the City mayor or his/her designee. (Ord. 2219 § 5, 1999).