The following words and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
AMBULANCE. Any motor vehicle constructed, reconstructed, arranged, equipped, or used for the purpose of transporting sick or injured persons.
AMBULANCE CALL. The act of responding with an ambulance to a request for transportation of a sick or injured person.
AMBULANCE PERSONNEL. A person who has the duty of performing or assisting in the performance of an ambulance call, including driving or acting as an attendant on an ambulance.
CITY. The City of Pleasanton, Texas.
CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT. The provision of medical care by a critical care transport team to a patient requiring critical care transport by a critical care transport agency such that the failure to initiate on an urgent basis or maintain during transport acute medical interventions, pharmacological interventions, or technologies would likely result in sudden, clinically significant or life threatening deterioration in the patient's condition.
COUNTY. Atascosa County.
DIRECTOR. The director of the department designated by the City Manager to enforce and administer this chapter, or the director's authorized representative. If no director is designated, then enforcement and administration of this chapter shall be handled by the City Manager.
EMERGENCY. Any circumstance that calls for immediate action and in which the element of time in transporting the sick or injured for medical treatment is essential to the health, life, or limb of the person. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, accidents generally, acts of violence resulting in personal injury, and illnesses.
EMERGENCY AMBULANCE. An ambulance operated or approved to operate by a member of the Fire Department, or any town, county, state, or agency of the United States, specially designed, constructed, equipped, and used for transporting the sick or injured in response to an emergency call.
EMERGENCY CALL. Any request for ambulance service that is made by telephone or other means of communication in circumstances that are, or have been represented to be, an emergency.
EMERGENCY CARE. Care provided to the sick or injured during emergency transportation to a medical facility and includes any necessary stabilization of the sick or injured in connection with that transportation.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS). Services used to respond to an individual's perceived need for medical care and to prevent death or aggravation of physiological or psychological illness or injury.
EMERGENCY PATIENT. A person in whom a sickness or injury may cause a significant risk to the person's life or limb. Such sickness or injury may include, but is not limited to, trauma (major injury to the body, head, or extremities), chest pain, abdominal pain, unconsciousness, delirium, imminent delivery of a child, and serious infection.
EMERGENCY RUN. An emergency ambulance trip, requiring the use of warning lights or sirens, to the place where an emergency exists or from the place of the emergency to a hospital, medical clinic or office, or other appropriate destination for the patient.
EMS DIRECTOR. The director of the city's designated emergency medical services.
FIRE CHIEF. The Chief of the Fire Department of the city or the Chief’s duly authorized representative.
FIRE DEPARTMENT. The Fire Department of the City of Pleasanton, Texas.
NEONATE/PEDIATRIC TRANSPORT PERSONNEL. A registered nurse, physician, or respiratory therapist specially trained in the emergency and transport care of newborn and pediatric patients.
OPERATE. To drive or to be in control of an ambulance.
OPERATOR. The driver of an ambulance, the owner of an ambulance, or the holder of a private ambulance permit.
OWNER. The person to whom state license plates for a vehicle were issued.
PERMIT. Written authorization issued by the director for a person to act as an ambulance personnel on a private ambulance within the city.
PERSON. Any individual, corporation, business, trust, partnership, association, or other legal entity.
POLICE CHIEF. The Chief of Police of the city or the Chief’s duly authorized representative.
PRIVATE AMBULANCE. Any privately owned motor vehicle that is specially designed or constructed, equipped, licensed to be used for, maintained and is operated for the transportation of the sick or injured that is licensed by Texas Department of State Health Services as an emergency medical provider.
PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICE. Any private commercial venture which is involved in the transport, transfer or pre-hospital medical treatment of the ill and injured that is licensed by Texas Department of State Health Services.
PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICE REGISTRATION. A permit issued by the city to allow a private ambulance service to operate within the city. A private ambulance service becomes registered when it applies, meets the requirements specified in this chapter, and has been approved by the city.
REGISTERED AGENCY. A person or entity authorized under this chapter to engage in private ambulance service. The term includes any owner, operator, driver, ambulance personnel, employee, or agent of the licensed business, but does not include a subcontractor.
SPECIAL EVENT. Any parade, sporting event, concert, or other event or gathering requiring on-site standby medical personnel.
SPECIALIZED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES VEHICLE. A vehicle that is designed for responding to and transporting sick or injured persons by any means of transportation other than by standard automotive ground ambulance or rotor or fixed wing aircraft and that has sufficient staffing, equipment and supplies to provide for the specialized needs of the patient transported. This category includes, but is not limited to, water craft, off-road vehicles, and specially designed, configured or equipped vehicles used for transporting special care patients such as critical care or burn patients.
STREET. Any street, alley, avenue, boulevard, drive, highway or other surface commonly used for the purpose of travel within the corporate limits of the city.
(Ord. 23-1304, passed 1-12-2023; Am. Ord. 23-1306, passed 2-9-2023)