(A) All telephone requests for ambulance services, both emergency and routine, originating within the GEMS District shall terminate at an 911 dispatch center(s) designated by the City Manager, where a communications officer shall, determine the patient’s location, and if appropriate, deliver pre-arrival instructions. The center shall also determine the need for emergency medical responder service; determine the ambulance service to which the call shall be allocated; and transfer the required information to that ambulance service, or directly dispatch the call, if that ambulance service has so directed.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any ambulance service to publish or advertise a telephone number for the purposes of soliciting requests for emergency ambulance service, except the emergency number (911) of the 911 dispatch c enter(s). It shall also be unlawful for any ambulance service to publish or advertise a telephone number for the purposes of soliciting routine transport calls, except telephone numbers which terminate at a 911 dispatch center(s).
(C) If multiple ambulance services are simultaneously licensed hereunder, the allocation of emergency calls among the multiple ambulance services shall be in accordance with primary provider of emergency medical services and then with “nearest unit” dispatch protocols approved by the Medical Director. Routine transport calls shall be allocated to primary provider of emergency medical services and then whose ambulance service is requested by the caller.
(D) For any provider receiving centralized dispatch services from the 911 dispatch center(s), the dispatch center(s) shall prepare a quarterly analysis of the 911 dispatch center(s)’ average cost per run dispatched, using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and shall bill to each ambulance service the actual average cost of such dispatches to the ambulance service, and each ambulance service shall make payment to the control centers within 30 days after receipt of the billing, as a condition of maintenance of the ambulance Service’s license in good standing. Failure to pay within 30 days shall result in the immediate suspension of such license, which suspension shall remain in effect until full payment is made.
(E) During times of disaster or severe EMS system overload, declared by the GEMS Director or his or her designee, the 911 dispatch center(s) shall at all times have full authority to direct the positioning, movements, and run responses of all ambulance units of all ambulance services until such time as the declaration has been lifted.
(Ord. 3286, passed 3-15-16)