For the purpose of §§ 9-4-4-1 et seq., the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. The word SHALL is always mandatory and not merely directory.
911 EMERGENCY SYSTEM. A publicly supported and funded system for delivering EMS, public fire protection, and law enforcement.
ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT (ALS). Advanced prehospital and interfacility care and treatment including basic and intermediate life support, as prescribed by state regulation, which may be performed only by a person licensed as a Paramedic by the Primary Care and Emergency Medical Services Bureau of the Public Health Systems Division of the New Mexico Department of Health and operating under medical direction.
AMBULANCE. Any vehicle, including motor vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft, assigned, used, or intended to be used to transport sick or injured persons, and operated by an ambulance service certificated as such by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.
AMBULANCE TRANSPORT PROVIDER. Any appropriately certified and contracted person providing emergency transport of sick or injured persons by ambulance within the city.
BASIC LIFE SUPPORT (BLS). Prehospital and interfacility care and treatment, as prescribed by state regulation, which can be performed by all appropriately licensed Emergency Medical Technicians, as provided by state law.
BOARD. The Medical Control Board.
BUREAU. The Emergency Medical Services Bureau of the Community Health Systems Division of the New Mexico Department of Health.
CHIEF. The Chief of the Albuquerque Fire Department.
CITY. The City of Albuquerque as a govern-mental entity.
city. The City of Albuquerque as geographically defined.
COMMISSION. The County Commission of Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
CONTRACTOR. A provider or providers of emergency ambulance transport services who is appropriately certified and bound by contractual agreement to the City to engage in ambulance services.
COUNCIL. The governing body of the City of Albuquerque.
DRIVER. An individual who is qualified as an ambulance or rescue vehicle driver.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCHER. A person who is trained and certified, pursuant to state law, to
receive calls for emergency medical assistance, pro-vide dispatch life support (DLS), pre- arrival medical instructions, dispatch emergency medical assistance, and coordinate its response.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS). The services rendered by licensed Emergency Medical Technicians, certified Emergency Medical Services First Responders or Emergency Medical Dispatchers in response to an individual's need for immediate medical care in order to prevent loss of life or aggravation of physical or psychological illness or injury.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SYSTEM (EMS SYSTEM). A coordinated system of health care delivery that includes centralized access and emergency medical dispatch, trained first responders, medical-rescue services, ambulance services, hospital emergency departments, and specialty care hospitals that respond to the needs of the acutely sick and injured.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT). A health care provider, licensed as such by the Emergency Medical Services Bureau of the Community Health Systems Division of the New Mexico Depart-ment of Health.
MAYOR. The Chief Executive of the City of Albuquerque.
MEDICAL CONTROL. Supervision provided by or under the direction of physicians to providers by written protocol or direct communications.
MEDICAL DIRECTION. Guidance or supervision provided by a physician, licensed to practice in New Mexico and Board certified in emergency medicine with current experience in the practice of emergency medicine, including authority over and responsibility for emergency medical dispatch, direct patient care and transport of patients, arrangements for medical control, and all other aspects of patient care delivered by a provider.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR. A physician, licensed to practice in New Mexico and Board certified in emergency medicine with current experience in the practice of emergency medicine, who is responsible for all medical aspects of an EMS system dealing with the provision of patient care as defined in the New Mexico Department of Health Regulations Governing Emergency Medical Services Medical Direction. This includes the extension of his or her license to prehospital providers; the development, implementation, and evaluation of all medical aspects of an EMS system; and other functions specified in §§ 9-4-4-1 et seq.
OPERATOR. Any person, firm, corporation, or public agency who is the owner or proprietor of EMS response vehicles.
PATIENT. An individual who is sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated.
PREHOSPITAL PROVIDER. Any person who has the duty of caring for a sick, ill, or injured person, who is certified at the EMT-Basic level or higher and who is licensed by the State of New Mexico.
PROTOCOL. A predetermined, written medical care plan including standing orders.
RESCUE SERVICE. Any ALS and BLS service, municipal, county, or private, excluding law enforcement agencies that are not otherwise providing rescue, that is subject to being dispatched to the scene of an injury or illness to provide rescue and immediate emergency medical care.
SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL INTEREST. That at the present or in any year within the past two years, a person derived more than $1,000 per year income from employment by, or business dealings with, one or more EMS operators within Bernalillo County or a contracting organization of such provider.
('74 Code, § 6-28-3) (Ord. 38-1989; Am. Ord. 12-1991; Am. Ord. 9-1993; Am. Ord. 40-1997; Am. Ord. 2017-001)