(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 division (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. 258, passed 8-14-2003; Ord. 394, passed 1-12-2017)