Definitions. | |
Certificate of Operation Required. | |
Permit Required. | |
Exemptions. | |
Findings to be Made by Director. | |
Permits to be Issued to Authorized Ambulance Services Only. | |
Liability Insurance for Routine Medical Transport Vehicles. | |
Liability Insurance for Ambulance Operators. | |
Dispatcher and Office Requirements. | |
Color Scheme – Adoption – Application. | |
Operation Requirements. | |
Driver Requirements. | |
Attendant Requirements. | |
Proof of Compliance. | |
Ambulance Destination Facilities. | |
Penalty. | |
The following words and phrases when used in this Article 14 have the meanings set forth herein:
“Ambulance” means a vehicle specially constructed, modified, equipped, or arranged to accommodate a gurney and operated commercially for the purpose of medical transportation of sick, injured, convalescent, infirm, or otherwise incapacitated persons.
“Ambulance Service Provider” means a person who furnishes or offers to furnish emergency medical services using an ambulance.
“Certificate of Operation” means a document issued by the Director to a person who qualifies to operate an ambulance in the City.
“Certificate of Participation” means a document that the Director issues to a Receiving Hospital or STEMI Center to authorize the facility to receive patients through Ambulance Service Providers.
“City” means the City and County of San Francisco.
“Color scheme” means a particular design, consisting of appliances, colors, figures, and letters, or any combination thereof, assigned to a particular person for application to the ambulance or ambulances, or to routine medical transport vehicle or vehicles authorized to be operated by such person, for purposes of identification and distinction.
“Department,” unless otherwise indicated, means the Department of Public Health of the City.
“Director” means the Director of the Department, or the Medical Director of the EMS Agency, if required by State law, or the Director’s designated agents or representatives.
“EMS Agency” means the City’s Emergency Medical Services Agency, which is designated as the local EMS Agency under California Health and Safety Code Section 1797.200.
“Facility” means any place or building that is organized, maintained, and operated for the diagnosis, care, prevention, and treatment of human illness, physical or mental, including convalescence and rehabilitation and including care during and after pregnancy, or for any one or more of these purposes, for one or more persons, to which the persons are admitted for a 24-hour stay or longer.
“Hospital” means an acute care facility licensed under California Health and Safety Code, Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2, with a permit for basic emergency service or an out-of-state acute care hospital which substantially meets the State requirements as determined by the local EMS agency that is using the hospital in the emergency medical services system, and is licensed in the State.
“Operator” means a person to whom a Certificate of Operation and permit or permits have been issued to operate an ambulance.
“Pediatric Center” means a facility designated by the EMS Agency to receive ambulances and treat critical care pediatric patients.
“Permit” means a permit issued by the Director for an ambulance conforming to the requirements of this Article that is owned or controlled by a person holding or qualifying for a Certificate of Operation pursuant to this Article.
“Person” means and includes an individual, a proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, syndicate, business trust, company, corporation, association, committee, governmental agency, or any other legal entity.
“Receiving Hospital” means a licensed general acute care hospital certified by the EMS Agency to receive patients through Ambulance Service Providers.
“Regulation” means any rules, regulations, policies, procedures, or protocols promulgated by the Director, the State, or under Federal law regarding emergency medical services.
“STEMI” means ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, a type of heart attack, or myocardial infarction, that is caused by a prolonged period of blocked blood supply, which affects a large area of the heart muscle, and causes changes on an electrocardiogram and in the blood levels of key chemical markers.
“STEMI Center” means a facility designated by the EMS Agency to receive ambulances and treat patients with STEMI.
“Stroke Center” means a facility designated by the EMS Agency to receive ambulances and treat stroke patients.
“Trauma Center” means a facility designated by the EMS Agency to receive ambulances and treat trauma patients.
(a) No person shall operate an ambulance or routine medical transport vehicle service upon the streets of City until, after application, the Director has issued a Certificate of Operation therefor.
(b) A Certificate issued pursuant to this Article shall set forth the commercial or public uses permitted and shall be valid until suspended or revoked. Said Certificate shall not be transferable, and shall be deemed revoked upon sale, transfer or assignment of the commercial use for which the Certificate was issued.
(c) A Certificate may be suspended or revoked for violations of this Article after a hearing by the Director. Upon suspension or revocation the offices for which the Certificate was issued shall be posted with the order of the Director. The Director shall remove a suspension upon determination that violations have been remedied and compliance with this Article thereby exists.
(d) All applications for a Certificate shall be filed upon forms provided by the Department. Said application shall be verified under oath and shall furnish the following information:
(1) The name, business and residence address and status of the applicant.
(2) The financial status of the applicant, including the amounts of all unpaid judgments against the applicant and the nature of the transaction or acts giving rise to said judgments.
(3) The experience of the applicant in the transportation and care of sick or injured persons.
(4) Any facts which the applicant believes tend to warrant the issuance of a Certificate.
(5) The actual or projected number of ambulances and/or routine medical transport vehicles, the model, make and year, condition and stretcher patient capacity of each ambulance or routine medical transport vehicle proposed to be operated by the applicant and a description and address of offices which are to serve as the base of operations.
(6) The color scheme to be used to designate the ambulance or ambulances and/or routine medical transport vehicle or vehicles of the applicant.
(7) Such further information as the Director may reasonably require.
(a) No ambulance or routine medical transport vehicle owned or controlled by any person to whom a Certificate has been issued shall be operated upon the streets of City until, after application, the Director has issued a permit therefor. Prior to the issuance of a permit, the Director shall thoroughly examine and inspect the ambulance or routine medical transport vehicle for compliance with the requirements of this Article. An ambulance under valid permit may provide routine medical transport service without the necessity of an additional permit.
(b) Ambulances shall be equipped in accordance with:
(1) The requirements of the California Highway Patrol, and any revisions thereto; and
(2) The standardized drug and equipment list, and any revisions thereto, adopted by the Director, who shall consider the recommendations of the San Francisco Emergency Medical Care Committee.
(c) Routine medical transport vehicles shall be equipped in accordance with:
(1) The standard vehicle safety and equipment requirements of the California Highway Patrol for ambulances and any revisions thereto.
(2) Standard patient carrying fixtures and restraints necessary for the comfort and safety of patients.
(d) Any permit issued hereunder shall be valid for a period of one year from the date when issued and shall be renewed annually upon determination by the Director that the ambulance or routine medical transport vehicle for which the permit applies conforms to all requirements set forth in this Article. Such requirements shall include the provision that all equipment be maintained in a fresh, clean and sanitary condition at all times.
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