4-68-020 License requirements.

   (a)   Except as provided below, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate or maintain a private ambulance within the City of Chicago without having first obtained a license for the ambulance from the department of business affairs and consumer protection. A separate license shall be required for each private ambulance operated or maintained within the city. The license shall be posted in the ambulance at all times.

   (b)   An ambulance license issued by the City of Chicago shall authorize the ambulance to operate only at the level of service (basic life support, intermediate life support, or advanced life support) that has been approved for that particular ambulance by the State of Illinois Department of Public Health.

   (c)   No license shall be required for any ambulance which is rendering assistance in the case of a disaster declared by the mayor, governor or president, or is transporting patients from beyond the City of Chicago to location within the city, or from within the City of Chicago to a location outside of the city.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5)

4-68-030 License – Application and approval requirements.

   (a)   A person seeking an ambulance license shall file an application with the department of business affairs and consumer protection.

   (b)   Along with the application, the applicant shall submit evidence that an appropriate State of Illinois ambulance license has been granted for each ambulance for which a license is sought and documentation that reflects the successful completion of any required state inspection. Failure to submit such evidence shall result in denial of the application.

   (c)   Each application for an initial ambulance license and all information required to be furnished in connection therewith shall be approved by the department of health. As a condition of approval, the department shall inspect the ambulance for compliance with this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted by the department of health hereunder.

   (d)   Each application for an initial or a renewal of an ambulance license and all information required to be furnished in connection therewith shall be approved by the department of business affairs and consumer protection. As a condition of approval, the department shall inspect the ambulance for compliance with this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted by the department of business affairs and consumer protection hereunder.

   (e)   Prior to the issuance of an initial or a renewal of an ambulance license the fire department shall inspect and approve the ambulance's communication system.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5)

4-68-035 License – Renewal.

   Ambulance licenses shall expire on October 31st following the date of issue unless an application for renewal is filed with the department of business affairs and consumer protection prior to that date. No ambulance license shall be renewed unless the renewal application is approved by the departments of business affairs and consumer protection and fire. An applicant for a renewal license shall submit with the application evidence that a State of Illinois license has been granted, and is in force and effect, for the ambulance for which the license is sought along with documentation that reflects the completion of any required state inspection.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5)

4-68-040 Maintenance – Change of ownership.

   Each ambulance shall, at all times when in use as such, be suitable for the transportation of patients from the standpoint of health, sanitation and safety, and be maintained in suitable premises and contain equipment conforming with the standards, requirements and regulations provided for herein. Said equipment shall be in proper and good condition for such use and comply with all applicable laws and local ordinances relating to health, sanitation and safety and be equipped with such lights, sirens and special markings to designate it as an ambulance, as may be prescribed in rules promulgated by the Commissioner of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the Commissioner of Public Health, and federal and State of Illinois laws and any other applicable provisions of this Code.

   It shall be the duty of every company licensed under this chapter to notify the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection whenever any change in its address is made, either business or residence. Any notice required to be given to a licensee shall be sufficient if addressed to the last address recorded in the office of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

   Any change of ownership of a licensed company shall terminate the ambulance-operating license and shall require a new application and a new license, and conformance with all the requirements of this chapter as upon original licensing.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 2-24-21, p. 27657, Art. III, § 17)

4-68-050 License – Fee.

   (a)   The annual license fee for an ambulance license shall be as set forth in Section 4-5-010.

   (b)   Ambulance licenses issued by the department of business affairs and consumer protection which have not expired by October 31, 1997 shall pay a fee for any renewed license effective November 1, 1997 on a pro rata basis of the unused period for the ambulance license issued by the department of finance.

   (c)   Ambulance licenses are not transferable between parties.

   (d)   An ambulance licensee may change a vehicle currently operating under a valid license upon the inspection and approval of the departments of business affairs and consumer protection, health and fire and upon the payment of a non-refundable fee of $50.00.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 7-27-05, p. 53211, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. I, § 4)

4-68-060 Inspection authority.

   Each licensed ambulance, its equipment, the premises designated in the application for its operation and maintenance, and all records relating to its maintenance, personnel and operation shall be made available for inspection by the departments of health, fire and business affairs and consumer protection at all times.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5)

4-68-062 Applicability of Illinois Emergency Medical Services Systems Act.

   Every person who operates or maintains an ambulance within the City of Chicago shall observe all requirements imposed by the Illinois Emergency Medical Services Systems Act, 210 ILCS 50/1, et seq., as amended, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

(Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612)

4-68-064 Availability of names of state-licensed emergency medical technicians.

   Any person who is granted an ambulance license under this chapter shall provide to the department of business affairs and consumer protection, upon its request: (1) a list of names of all emergency medical technicians employed by the licensee who perform duties in the city; and (2) evidence of the state licensure of such technicians.

(Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. V, § 5)

4-68-070 Exemption from certain traffic laws.

   While transporting a patient in situations where reasonable grounds exist to believe that a life threatening or potentially life threatening situation is present, emergency medical technicians may park irrespective of the otherwise applicable provisions of law, ordinance or regulations, and proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down or stopping as may be necessary for safe operation. No ambulance shall exceed the lawful speed, but the emergency medical technician may disregard laws or ordinances or regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions, when such activity is specifically provided for in State of Illinois guidelines.

   The exemptions herein granted shall apply only when the emergency medical technician, while in motion, sounds an audible signal by siren as may be reasonably necessary and when the vehicle is equipped with lights and markings, as required by federal and state specifications for ambulance vehicles.

   The foregoing provisions shall not relieve emergency medical technicians from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the emergency medical technicians from the consequences of reckless disregard for the safety of others.

   No private or public ambulance shall operate in the city without at least two attendants who are duly licensed by the State of Illinois as emergency medical technicians, professional nurses, or physicians.

(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50612)