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Home My Public Portal AboutOrdinance No. 417-79 04-02-1979 ORDINANCE NO. _i~~l AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE IN RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING RATES FOR THE USE OF SUCH SERVICE; DEFINING FALSE STATEMENT OF EMERGENCY; ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING A PENALTY; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION; AND PRESCRIBING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Richland Hills has deter- mined that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Richland Hills to make Emergency Ambulance Service available to said citizens; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Richland Hills deems the availability of such service to be a municipal function and that charges should be made to those who utilize such service and that charges should be established. THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS: that Section 1. Emergency Ambulance Service shall be provided within the corporate limits of the City of Richland Hills, Texas, and to other such cities where a mutual aid system may be established if the said city has its own city operated ambulance emergency service. Section 2. Requests for Emergency Ambulance Service shall be made to the Police and/or Fire Department. Calls shall be answered by the Fire Department of the City of Richland Hills. Ambulance attendants shall have the authority to pick up any injured or sick person (s) found on public or private property whenever the need arises and also when and if requested to do so by some person responsible for the sick or injured person. Section 3. Ambulance Service shall be operated by the Fire Depart- ment of the City of Richland Hills and shall be under the supervision and control of the Chief of the Fire Department and subject to the rules and regulations set forth in this Ordinance and subject to any rules and regulations which may hereafter be established by Ordinance, Resolution, or order of the City Council. Section 4. Ambulance Service will be provided to persons outside the City when: a. A mutual aid agreement has been agreed upon and approved by the City Council and Fire Chief. b. Any emergency shall be determined to be an emergency by the authority of the Fire Chief of the City of Richland Hills or by the Acting Chief in the event of the Fire Chief's absence. Section 5. Only emergency ambulance calls will be answered. a. Emergency shall include very severely sick persons or persons who are immobile and require transportation N Section 6. It shall be the sole responsibility of the Fire Depart- ment person in charge of the ambulance at the emergency scene as to which hospital the patient will be taken, • based on the hospital's capability and severity of the case. Se~t3nr 7. The fees and charc,es for f-.he use of the City of Richland Hilts, ^_'pxas, ambulance shall be as follows: a. Zn Mid Cities Area 1. 1 r~erson $40.00 - 2 or more persons $30.00 each b. Fort Worth ®r ,Arlington Hospitals 1. 1 person $60.00 - 2 or more persons $50.00 each c. Dallas Nospaaat - (Parkland Only) 1. 1 person $lUJ.00 - 2 or more persons $90.00 each d. The Fire Chief h;G authorized representative will be responsible for: 1. The billing of statements. 2. Receiving payments for services. 3. Forwarding received payments to the Director of Finance Section ~3. The person transported, or in the event such person is a minor or incompetent, then such person's parent or guardian, shall be responsible for the fe€~s or charges incurred for the City Emergency Ambulance Sergi„ re. Suc}+ f PpS or charges shall be payable to the Richland Hills Fire Department, 3201. Diana Drive, Richland Hills: ~*'PXac 7Fil1Rr car}?i.^!'_ Q. False Statement. of F.mPrnenc2~: 3t shall be unlawful for any person to willfully inform the Police/F~rp nispatcher, or other. police or fire official that an ambulance or more than one ambulance is needed at a location or address when such person knows that such statement is false. Section 10. This ordinance is not to t~mit a subsidy plan with any other municipal government if approved by the majority of Council of the Ci.+~y c,f ~?chland Hills, Texas. Section 11. Uern+~.ts foz' pr~,~ra±:F ~~~}~ulance companies will be issued through the Fire Chief of the City of Richlanr? wills, Texas. This sectinr, wi.tl restric#~ ~?r~vate ambulance companies to non-emergency ca11.s~ transfers, removincl cif dereasPr~ perscax~~; sick ^a1 is of a non-emergency nature. This section excludes all mortuaries from .requiring a City permit. a. Permits - $10.0^ pAz vP.~r I K . S Pction 12. This Ordinance will authorize the Fire ~'hief to permit a private ambulance company to respond to emergency calls only f ±~+e City aml~~~a ante or mutual aid ambulance is not available for the call. Section 13. A~ay persorL, firm, corporation, or any agent or emploj?ee t hereof who violates any of the provisions of thi, s Ordtin~nrN s?~?1t 'be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) and not to exceed two hundrea dollars ($200.00) for each offense. Each day of such viola+-?ori ~h?1]. constitute a separate offense. Section 14. The caption and penalty clause of this Ordinance lp published in the Mid Cities News. Section 15. This ~?rdinance shall. t,e effective immediately upon its passage and the publication of its caption and penalty clause as provided by law. PASSED AND APPROVED at a regular City Council M.ePt-ing of the City Of Rich.lanr? 1 ? S, '1'rx3s, t.hiS _day c,f 7.479. APPROVED: David L. Raga __ayor ATTEST Lucy Wr~e~,it, City,,- ecretary APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGAI.~'!'v: .a..,~.w_ . Steven Stavron, City Attorney