(a) It shall be unlawful:
(1) To knowingly give false information to induce the dispatch of an ambulance or aeromedical transportation unit;
(2) To perform duties as an ECA, EMT, paramedic or emergency ambulance dispatcher without current credentials issued by the office of the medical director, unless participating in a training program approved by office of the medical director;
(3) To permit a person to work as an ECA, EMT, paramedic or emergency ambulance dispatcher without current credentials issued by the office of the medical director, unless participating in a training program approved by office of the medical director;
(4) To use, or cause to be used, any ambulance service other than the authority, except as permitted in subsection (b) below;
(5) For any person or entity other than the authority to provide ambulance service within this jurisdiction, unless pursuant to a written agreement with the authority;
(6) For any person to provide medical transportation originating in the service area without a permit issued by the authority;
(7) For any agency to provide first responder services without a first responder permit issued by the authority, unless pursuant to a first responder agreement with the authority or a written automatic aid or mutual aid agreement with this jurisdiction;
(8) To use an ambulance for the transportation of persons other than in connection with the transportation of a patient.
(b) It shall be a defense to any alleged violation of this section that a vehicle is being used or service is provided solely in any of the following manners:
(1) As a privately owned vehicle not ordinarily used in the business of transporting persons who are sick, injured, wounded, incapacitated or helpless;
(2) Rendering service as an ambulance at the request of the EMS communications center upon the declaration of a disaster by this jurisdiction, the State of Texas, or the United States; or a declaration of a major catastrophe or extreme system overload by the chief executive officer of the authority;
(3) Any ambulance owned or operated by the federal or state government;
(4) Ambulance mutual aid calls when rendered pursuant to an ambulance mutual aid agreement approved by the authority;
(5) Special event ambulance standby coverage, so long as such service is provided without charge by an emergency medical services volunteer provider, as defined in Tex. Health and Safety Code § 773.003(13), or the authority has first declined to provide coverage and the entity providing coverage has been issued a permit by the authority;
(6) Wheelchair transport services for persons other than patients, when the service is not provided by ambulance; and
(7) Medical transportation of a patient where the transport originates outside the service area.
(Ord. 22613-02-2017, § 1, passed 2-21-2017; Ord. 24213-05-2020, § 1, passed 5-19-2020, eff. 5-28-2020)