Chapter 5.48
AMBULANCES
Sections:
5.48.020 Permit—Determination of public convenience and necessity prerequisite to granting.
5.48.040 Permit application—Contents.
5.48.050 Permit application—Investigation—Fee—Issuance.
5.48.060 Exceeding service charges set forth in application prohibited.
5.48.090 Qualifications of drivers and stewards.
5.48.110 Quarters to meet certain requirements.
5.48.120 Exits required—Design.
5.48.130 Inspection by health officer.
5.48.140 Cleaning after each run required.
5.48.160 Oxygen equipment required.
5.48.010 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the words set out in this section shall have the following meanings:
A. “Ambulance” means any motor vehicle used to transport, move or convey a sick or injured person.
B. “Ambulance business” means the business of owning, operating, managing or maintaining as principal or agent any ambulance as defined in this section.
C. “Ambulance service charges” means any charge, fare or other consideration for ambulance service.
D. “Operation within the city” means the receiving, picking up or embarking within the city of a sick or injured person for transportation or conveyance to any point within or without the city.
E. “Person” means individuals, partnerships, firms, corporations and associations of every kind, and their agents, servants or employees. (Prior code § 3A.1: Ord. 327 § 1)
5.48.020 Permit—Determination of public convenience and necessity prerequisite to granting.
No permit for the operation within the city of any private ambulance shall be granted until the city council, after notice and a public hearing held in accordance with the rules and regulations of the city council, determines that public convenience and necessity require the operation of such ambulance. In making such determination, the city council may take into consideration all facts which it may deem pertinent and proper, including a specific finding that an applicant is financially responsible, that the premises and motor vehicles which the applicant proposes to use are fit and suitable for the ambulance business, and that the operation of the ambulances for which a permit is applied is necessary to provide adequate ambulance service to the public. Such determination, when made, shall be transmitted forthwith to the health officer of the city. (Prior code § 3A.2: Ord. 327 § 2 (part))
5.48.030 Permit—Required.
It is unlawful for any person to operate, or cause or permit to be operated, within the city any ambulance unless a determination of public convenience and necessity therefor shall have first been made as provided in Section 5.48.020, and unless such person shall thereafter have obtained a permit so to do, as provided in this chapter. (Prior code § 3A.3: Ord. 327 § 3 (part))
5.48.040 Permit application—Contents.
Applications for permits to operate, manage or maintain within the city private ambulances shall be in writing and submitted to the city clerk. Such applications shall be referred by the city clerk to the health officer of the county for investigation as provided in this chapter and to the chief of police of the city for investigation. Applications shall contain:
A. The business name and address of the applicant;
B. A statement as to whether the applicant is a corporation, partnership or individual, and, if the last, the residence address of the applicant;
C. The number and a description of the motor vehicles proposed to be used as ambulances;
D. The address and a description of the premises at and from which it is proposed to maintain and operate such ambulances;
E. A schedule of ambulance service charges which the applicant proposes to charge for operations within the city;
F. Such other matters as the health officer shall require;
G. That the application for a permit shall be on behalf of the owner of the ambulance service and such person shall be of good moral character and shall submit at the time of making the application or at the effective date of this chapter to have fingerprints taken by the city police department and shall give two character references of substantial citizens of the county and that such applicants shall not have been convicted of a felony or of the violation of any narcotics law or any penal law involving moral turpitude. (Prior code § 3A.4: Ord. 336 § 2 (part))
5.48.050 Permit application—Investigation—Fee—Issuance.
It shall be the duty of the health officer to cause an investigation to be made of the premises and the motor vehicles named and described in applications for permits for the purpose of determining the fitness and suitability of such premises and motor vehicles from a health and sanitation standpoint. The health officer shall also determine whether the applicant has complied with the laws of the state and ordinances of the city, relating to health, safety and sanitation. Should the health officer determine that such premises and motor vehicles are fit and suitable for such business and that the applicant has complied with the laws of the state and the ordinances of the city relating to health and sanitation, the health officer shall, upon payment by the applicant to the director of finance of the permit fee fixed in Section 5.48.060, issue or cause to be issued to such applicant a permit to operate, manage or maintain private ambulances. (Prior code § 3A.5: Ord. 327 § 3 (part))
5.48.060 Exceeding service charges set forth in application prohibited.
No person to whom a permit has been issued under this chapter to engage in the ambulance business within the city shall charge for an ambulance within the city any amount in excess of the schedule of ambulance service charges set forth in such permittee’s application without first obtaining a written authorization from the city manager so to do. (Prior code § 3A.6: Ord. 327 § 3 (part))
5.48.070 Permit expiration.
All permits hereafter issued shall expire on the thirtieth day of June next following date of issuance of such permit. Applications for permits to become effective on the first day of July of any year may be made at any time during the sixty days prior to such date. (Prior code § 3A.7: Ord. 327 § 3 (part))
5.48.080 Insurance policy.
A. No person shall operate or permit to be operated any ambulance within the city unless there is in full force and effect at all times a policy of insurance insuring such ambulance, in a company authorized to do business in the state, insuring such person against loss by reason of injury or damage that may result to any person or to property by the operation of such ambulance; the policy of insurance shall be in the limits of fifty thousand dollars for any one person injured or killed, and subject to such limit for each person a total liability of one hundred fifty thousand dollars for any one accident resulting in bodily injury or death to more than one person.
B. Such policy of insurance shall also provide insurance to the extent of fifty thousand dollars for damage to or destruction of any property of third persons; and that the policy of insurance shall provide that it shall not be canceled except upon ten days’ prior written notice to the city manager; and that a certificate of insurance showing compliance with this section shall be filed in the office of the city clerk. (Prior code § 3A.8: Ord. 327 § 4 (part))
5.48.090 Qualifications of drivers and stewards.
A. Each ambulance shall be operated by a driver and a steward, each of whom must have a chauffeur’s license and prior to their employment shall submit an application for a driver’s permit or a steward’s permit, as the case may be, along with two character references of substantial citizens and shall be fingerprinted by the police department of the city, and neither shall have been convicted of a felony or the violation of any narcotics law or of any penal law involving moral turpitude, and each shall carry an identification card signed by the health officer and the chief of police.
B. Both the steward and the driver must have successfully passed a recognized course in first aid or have had equivalent experience approved prior to employment by the health officer. (Prior code § 3A.9: Ord. 336 § 3 (part))
5.48.100 Master book.
Each ambulance company shall keep a master book of ambulance runs and disposal of patients and the information to be contained therein shall include the name, approximate age, sex, address, disposal of patient and the hospital to which the patient was taken. (Prior code § 3A.10: Ord. 336 § 7)
5.48.110 Quarters to meet certain requirements.
The quarters in which the ambulances are maintained within the city must meet all housing requirements of the codes of the city and the State Housing Act of the state. (Prior code § 3A.11: Ord. 336 § 4 (part))
5.48.120 Exits required—Design.
All ambulances shall be of a good design and have two exits. (Prior code § 3A.12: Ord. 336 § 5 (part))
5.48.130 Inspection by health officer.
Ambulances must be ready for inspection at all times by the health officer. (Prior code § 3A.13: Ord. 336 § 5 (part))
5.48.140 Cleaning after each run required.
Ambulances must be cleaned after each run. (Prior code § 3A.14)
5.48.150 Linen requirements.
A. The linen in ambulances must be changed after each run;
B. All linen must be properly stored in a sanitary and satisfactory manner; and
C. All used linen, after each run, must be discarded and properly laundered in a commercial laundry. (Prior code § 3A.15: Ord. 336 § 5 (part))
5.48.160 Oxygen equipment required.
All ambulances shall be required to have oxygen equipment and the steward and driver shall be trained in the administering of the oxygen within the limits allowed by law. (Prior code § 3A.16: Ord. 336 § 6)
5.48.170 Violation—Penalty.
Any violation of this chapter shall constitute an infraction and shall be punishable as provided in Section 1.08.020. (Ord. 677 § 1 (part), 1975; prior code § 3A.17: Ord. 336 § 8)