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(A) Upon payment of the fee prescribed therefor, and after the applicant has complied with all provisions of this subchapter, the permit officer shall be authorized to issue the permit applicant a permit under this subchapter upon finding to his or her satisfaction and ascertaining that:
(1) The public convenience and necessity require the proposed ambulance service;
(2) Each ambulance and its required equipment meet acceptable standards set forth by applicable state statutes and this subchapter;
(3) The applicant demonstrates an acceptable standard of responsibility for conducting or for being employed in furnishing ambulance service; and
(4) Operating a service with an expired permit constitutes a violation of this subchapter.
(B) Permits issued pursuant to this subchapter shall be renewable on an annual basis upon the applicant’s compliance with all requirements of this subchapter, including payment of the fees required in this subchapter.
(1) Annual renewal applications may be submitted to the Department between December 1 and January 31 of each year.
(2) A company that fails to renew their permit before January 31 of each year shall have their permit declared vacant and the company removed from the transfer service rotation master list.
(3) Should more companies apply for a vacant service permit than available a lottery drawing shall be implemented.
(C) In the event of a vacancy during the permit period, the Permit Officer shall be authorized to issue a permit for the remainder of the year to another provider by advertisement for a two-week period and should more companies apply for the permit vacancy than available a lottery drawing shall be implemented.
(1998 Code, § 46-43) (Ord. 14-11, passed 5-21-2014; Ord. 2022-12, passed 7-6-2022)
(A) The fees for permits required by this subchapter shall be as follows and shall not be prorated:
(1) Ambulance vehicle permit: $100 per vehicle; and
(2) Ambulance service permit: $500.
(B) Such fees are not refundable and shall not be prorated as to time.
(1998 Code, § 46-44) (Ord. 14-11, passed 5-21-2014; Ord. 2022-12, passed 7-6-2022)
Grounds for suspension or revocation of a permit may include the following:
(A) Failure at any time to meet or keep any of the requirements of this subchapter, including conduct of ambulance attendant/emergency medical technicians and interfering with police or fire;
(B) Operating an ambulance in such a manner as to endanger any person or property;
(C) Failure to adhere to the Fire Department’s rules and regulations;
(D) Violation of any federal or state law, or any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant to federal or state law, or any other city ordinances related to the operation of an ambulance; and/or
(E) Failure to arrive within the specified response time limit three or more times within the permit period.
(1998 Code, § 46-47) (Ord. 14-11, passed 5-21-2014; Ord. 2022-12, passed 7-6-2022)
(A) Notwithstanding any provision of this subchapter, the Fire Chief or his or her designee shall be authorized to suspend or revoke any permit for a violation of any of those items listed as grounds for suspension or revocation. The Fire Chief or his or her designee may immediately suspend a permit for up to 15 calendar days if there is substantial evidence of a violation which constitutes an imminent danger to the public and the permit holder is unable or unwilling to correct the violation. Otherwise, before any permit may be suspended or revoked, the Fire Chief or his or her designee shall hold a hearing at which evidence of such violation may be presented and rebutted. A hearing may be scheduled by the Fire Chief or his or her designee after receiving a complaint charging a violation or, at his or her discretion, upon his or her investigation and review. Notice of the hearing, the administrative action proposed to be taken and the grounds therefor shall be given to the permit holder at least ten calendar days prior to the hearing. Mailing such notice by certified mail to the last known business address of the permit holder not less than ten calendar days prior to the hearing shall constitute adequate notice. If the Fire Chief or his or her designee suspends or revokes a permit, he or she shall notify the permit holder in writing of the reasons for the suspension or revocation, the effective date of the suspension or revocation, the date of reinstatement, if any, and the conditions which must be satisfied for reinstatement, and such notification shall advise the permit holder that he or she may appeal such decision to the Mayor. Mailing such notification by certified mail to the last known business address of the permit holder within ten calendar days of the hearing shall be deemed sufficient. No person whose permit has been revoked shall be eligible to apply for a new permit for at least six months from the date the revocation became effective. The Fire Chief or his or her designee, in determining whether to suspend or revoke a permit, may consider prior suspensions.
(B) (1) After a permit holder “passes” seven times during a permit year, their permit will be automatically suspended for the remainder of the year, with no right to appeal.
(1998 Code, § 46-47) (Ord. 14-11, passed 5-21-2014; Ord. 2022-12, passed 7-6-2022)
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
A local emergency management agency for the city is hereby established. The powers and duties of such agency shall be as provided by the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, Tex. Gov’t Code §§ 418.01 et seq.
(1998 Code, § 34-31) (Ord. 93-73, passed 11-17-1993)
(A) There exists the Office of Emergency Management Director of the city, which shall be held by the Mayor in accordance with state law. An Emergency Management Coordinator may be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Director.
(B) The Director shall be responsible for a program of comprehensive emergency management within the city and for carrying out the duties and responsibilities set forth in this subchapter. He or she may delegate authority for execution of these duties to the Coordinator, but ultimate responsibility for such execution shall remain with the Director.
(C) The Operational Emergency Management Organization of the city shall consist of the officers and employees of the city so designated by the Director in the Emergency Management Plan and Annexes, as well as organized volunteer groups. The functions and duties of this Organization shall be distributed among such officers and employees in accordance with the terms of the Emergency Management Plan.
(1998 Code, § 34-32)
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