The City hereby establishes the cost mitigation rates for the deployment of certain emergency services by the Fire Department of the City for services provided and/or rendered to residents and non-residents including the provision of personnel, supplies and equipment to the scene of motor vehicle incidents and other emergency incidents as set forth herein, which are based on the actual costs of the services and those costs that are usual, customary and reasonable.
A. Definitions: For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
AMBULANCE SERVICES: EMS response/pre-hospital care (involving usage of supplies and/or medication) and/or transportation to the nearest hospital of the sick, injured, wounded, incapacitated, or helpless at the time of dispatch. Ambulance service shall only be provided to non-residents in circumstances governed by a contract, mutual-aid or extreme life-saving necessity.
FIRE SERVICES: Basic scene safety, investigation and fire/hazard control.
FIRE INVESTIGATION SERVICES (FIRE INVESTIGATION TEAM): Scene safety, investigation, source identification, K-9/Arson Dog Unit, identification equipment, mobile detection equipment, fire/hazard control and fire report. The claim begins when the fire investigator or investigation team responds to the incident and is billed for logged time only.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS: The following:
Level 1: Basic Response: This level is the provision of basic response services including engine response, first responder assignment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, set-up and command.
Level 2: Intermediate Response: This level includes provision of Level 1 services as well as hazmat certified team and appropriate equipment, level A or B suit donning, breathing air, detection equipment and set-up and removal of decontamination center as necessary.
Level 3: Advanced Response: This level includes provisions of Levels 1 and 2 services as well as robot deployment, recovery and identification of material, disposal and environmental cleanup. This level also includes any disposal rates for contaminated equipment and material used at scene.
LIFT ASSISTANCE: Assistance moving an individual from one position to another and there being no attendant physical injury requiring transportation to the hospital.
MOTOR VEHICLE INCIDENT: The following:
Level 1: This level is the provision of hazardous materials assessment, scene stabilization and basic response services.
Level 2: This level includes provision of Level 1 services, as well as clean up and material used for hazardous fluid clean-up and disposal. Billing at this level will occur if the Fire Department of the City must clean up any gasoline or other automotive fluids that are spilled as a result of the accident or incident.
Level 3: This level relates to the extinguishment of a car fire, provision of scene safety, fire suppression, breathing air, rescue tools, hand tools, hose, tip use, foam, exposure protection, and clean-up of gasoline or other automotive fluids that are spilled as a result of the accident or incident.
Level 4: This level includes provisions of Levels 1 and 2 services, as well as the use of extrication tools (heavy rescue tools, ropes, airbags, cribbing, etc.). Billing at this level will occur if the Fire Department of the City is required to free or remove anyone from the vehicle(s) using any powered equipment. Billing at this level will not occur if the person to be extricated is unconscious or unable to move and the Fire Department is able to open a door to the vehicle to access and safely remove the person.
Level 5: This level includes provisions of Levels 1, 2 and 4 services as well as aeromedical response coordination (multi-engine company response, mutual aid, and helicopter). Billing will occur at this level any time a helicopter is utilized to transport the patient(s).
Level 6: Itemized Response: In the case of an unusual incident, the Fire Department of the City may bill each incident as an independent incident with actual costs and/or customary mitigation rates using itemized rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable. Such incidents will be billed using itemized amounts for apparatus and personnel, plus products and equipment used.
NONRESIDENT: Any person not residing within the corporate limits of the City who requires emergency services of any type, whether knowingly or unknowingly, by the Watseka Fire Department.
SPECIAL/BACK COUNTRY RESPONSE: Itemized Response: Each incident will be billed in accordance with actual costs and/or customary mitigation rates using itemized rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable, subject to the minimum amounts set forth above. Such incidents will be billed using itemized amounts for each apparatus and each trained rescue person per hour, plus rescue products and equipment used.
WATER INCIDENTS:
Level 1: Basic Response: This level is the provision of basic response services including engine response, first responder assignment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first responder set-up and command, scene safety and investigation (including possible patient contact and hazard control).
Level 2: Intermediate Response: This level is the provision of Level 1 services as well as clean-up and material used (sorbents), minor hazardous clean-up and disposal. Billing will occur at this level if the Fire Department of the City must clean up small amounts of gasoline or other fluids that are spilled as a result of the incident.
Level 3: Advanced Response: This level is the provisions of Levels 1 and 2 services as well as D.A.R.T. activation, donning breathing apparatus, detection equipment, set up and removal of decontamination center, recovery and identification of material, and disposal and environment clean up. This level also includes any disposal rates of contaminated equipment and material used at scene.
Level 4: Itemized Response: In the case of an unusual incident, the Fire Department of the City may bill each incident as an independent incident with actual costs and/or customary mitigation rates using itemized rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable. Such incidents will be billed using itemized amounts for apparatus and personnel, plus products and equipment used.
B. Fees Established: Any person or entity (resident or nonresident) who utilizes or is serviced with the emergency services of the Fire Department of the City shall be responsible for the costs of such services according to the following mitigation rates. Unless otherwise provided, the hourly rates set forth below are the minimum response cost in that they will be charged whether or not services are rendered for the entire hour:
Service |
Service | ||
Ambulance Services | Resident | Non-Resident |
Basic Rate (per call) | $1,293 | $1,400 |
Mileage (per mile) | $32 | $32 |
Oxygen (per usage) | $54 | $50 |
Care without Transportation | $215 per call | |
Fire Services | $512 per hour, per engine; $640 per hour, per truck | |
Optional | Itemized | |
Fire Investigation Services | $352 per hour | |
Hazardous Materials Incidents | ||
Level 1 | $896 per hour | |
Level 2 | $3,200 per hour | |
Level 3 | $7,554 per response through the first three (3) hours | |
Hazmat Team | $362 per hour after the first three (3) hours | |
Lift Assistance | $215 per lift assist (after two such requests in a year) | |
Motor Vehicle Incidents | ||
Level 1 | $556 per hour | |
Level 2 | $633 per hour | |
Level 3 | $774 per hour | |
Level 4 | $1,670 added to underlying per hour cost | |
Level 5 | $511 added to underlying per hour cost | |
Level 6 | Itemized | |
Special/Back Country Response | $512 per vehicle and $64 per rescue person per hour | |
Water Incidents | ||
Level 1 | $512 per response, plus $64 per rescue person per hour | |
Level 2 | $1,023 per response, plus $64 per rescue person per hour | |
Level 3 | $2,532 per response, plus $64/$128 per rescue person or Hazmat Team Member per hour | |
Level 4 | Itemized | |
All Incidents (as applicable) | ||
Chief Response | $320 per hour | |
Additional Time | ||
Engine | $512 per hour | |
Truck | $640 per hour | |
Miscellaneous Equipment | $385 per hour | |
C. Implementation and Procedure: The mitigation rates above are flat fees, except for itemized responses, and have been determined to be usual, customary and reasonable for the incident responses listed. The mitigation rates were determined by itemizing costs for a typical incident (from the time a fire/EMS apparatus leaves the station until it returns to the station) and are based on the actual costs, using amortized schedules for apparatus (including useful life, equipment, repairs, and maintenance) and labor rates (based upon an average department's “actual personnel expense,” and not just a firefighter's/EMT's base wage). The actual personnel expense includes, but not by way of limitation, costs such as wages, retirement benefits, workers' compensation, and insurance. When a claim is submitted, it will be itemized and based on the actual services provided in accordance with the above rates.
The mitigation rates shall represent an additional cost of the claim for damages of the vehicles, property and/or injuries, and may be filed with the insurance carrier of the owner of the titled vehicle, owner of the property, or the responsible party or parties. In other circumstances, the owner of the titled vehicle, owner of the property, or the responsible party or parties will be billed directly.
Annually, on December 1 of each calendar year, the mitigation rates set forth above shall be increased by the greater of 2.60% or the previous year's rate of inflation, calculated based on the Consumer Price Index - Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W, Chicago All Items) published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the 365-day period ending on the most recent October 1.
Responses involving intoxicated drivers, hazmat clean-up, intentional or negligent acts, or any act that violates any local, State or Federal law or regulation, may be subject to all applicable mitigation rates.
D. Collection: The City shall cause a bill to be issued to the person or entity (resident or nonresident) who utilizes or is serviced with the emergency services. Interest shall accumulate and be due upon such fee at the rate of one percent (1 %) per month commencing as of the thirtieth (30th) day following the mailing of the bill. All fees collected in conformance with this section shall be deposited in the General Fund of the City and used for providing funds to the Fire Department of the City for future replacement of life-safety vehicles or equipment as may be determined by the City Council of the City.
(Ord. 2627, 11-23-2021; amd. Ord. 2667, 11-22-2022; Ord. 2673, 1-24-2023)