§ 91.61. Definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings ascribed to them below unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a)

Advanced Life Support (ALS). Emergency prehospital care that uses invasive medical acts. The provision of advanced life support shall be under the medical supervision and control of a licensed physician.

(b)

Ambulance. Any privately or publicly owned motor vehicle constructed, reconstructed, arranged, equipped, used or otherwise intended to be used for transportation of the sick, injured or otherwise incapacitated persons from one place to another. The term shall be construed to mean either emergency ambulances or transfer ambulances.

(c)

Ambulance service. The providing or making available to the public or to any person a motor vehicle and any personnel required by this article for transportation of, and/or the provision of prehospital emergency medical services to an individual who is sick, injured or incapacitated, whether in emergency circumstances or in a transfer situation.

(d)

Basic Life Support. Emergency prehospital care that uses noninvasive medical acts. The provision of basic life support under certain conditions or when required by permitting officer under the medical supervision and control of a licensed physician.

(e)

Emergency. Any combination of events or circumstances which results in life or body-threatening injury or illness requiring immediate emergency medical services.

(f)

Emergency ambulance or rescue vehicle. Any motor vehicle constructed or designed for transporting the sick or injured, and which meets all of the existing requirements established by the Department of Transportation, G.S.A. Bulletin KKK-A-1822, as referenced by Texas State Department of Health and the provisions of this article.

(g)

Emergency ambulance services. Any organization or operation which utilizes an emergency ambulance to respond to the scene of an emergency for the purpose of rendering emergency medical services and/or providing transportation of the sick and injured to a hospital or other place for medical attention. Must enter into a written agreement with the city.

(h)

Emergency call. Any request for ambulance service that is made in circumstances which are, or have been represented to be, an emergency and require immediate prehospital emergency medical service.

(i)

Emergency Care Attendant (ECA). Any person that has met all the minimum requirements established by this article, and who has completed all of the training requirements established by the department of transportation emergency care attendant outline and who has met all of the requirements established by the State of Texas Emergency Care Attendant Registry.

(j)

Emergency Medical Service (EMS): The emergency medical service system established for the purpose of providing to the citizens of the city an emergency medical service utilizing emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and emergency vehicles in compliance with the regulations outlined in this article.

(k)

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): Any person who has met all the minimum requirements established by this article, and who has completed all of the training requirements established by the Department of Transportation Emergency Medical Technician Outline and who has met all of the requirements established by the State of Texas Emergency Medical Technician Registry.

(l)

Emergency transfer. Any transportation provided for a patient by an emergency vehicle from one hospital or other place of treatment, after initial stabilization, to another hospital or other place of treatment for definitive care, under emergency circumstances.

(m)

Industrial Ambulance. Any vehicle owned and operated by an industrial facility at industrial sites used for the initial transport or transfer of the unstable urgently sick persons at those sites who beconu: sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated in the course of their employment from job site to an appropriate medical facility; provided, however, that the vehicle is not available for hire or use by the general public except when assisting the local community in disaster situations or related emergencies.

(n)

Medical Supervision. Direction given to emergency medical services personnel by a licensed physician under the term of the Medical Practice Act (Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 4495b) and rules promulgated by the Texas State Board of Medical Examines rpursuant to the terms of the Medical Practice Act.

(o)

Nonemergency. Any situation not classified as an emergency.

(p)

Patient. Any person who is sick, injured or incapacitated and who becomes subject to transportation or care by an emergency medical technician (EMT) attendant, driver or attendant-driver pursuant to the terms of this article.

(q)

Permit Officer. The fire chief or his duly authorized representative.

(r)

Person. Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, group of individuals acting together for a common purpose, or organization of any kind. The term shall not include any governmental agency.

(s)

Transfer. Movement, in a transfer vehicle, of prescheduled nonemergency patients from place to place.

(t)

Transfer Ambulance. Any motor vehicle constructed, arranged and equipped for transporting nonemergency patients from place to place, and which meets the requirements of V.T.C.S., Texas Department of Health, and the provisions of this article.

(u)

Transfer Ambulance Service. Any organization or operation utilizing a transfer vehicle for the purpose of transporting nonemergency patients from one place to another.

(Ord. No. 2006-868, 2-27-06)