Chapter 4. Ambulance Service
Sec. 4-1. - Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall be defined as set out in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
Ambulance. A motor vehicle used, designed or redesigned, and equipped for the primary purpose of the transportation of sick or injured persons.
Ambulance service. A trip made by an ambulance to transport a sick or injured person from place to place under other than emergency circumstances.
Ambulance operator. The person, partnership or corporation holding a city ambulance permit.
Emergency ambulance. An ambulance used, designed or redesigned and equipped for the primary purpose of transporting sick or injured persons under emergency circumstances, and the rendering of first aid or the performance of rescue work, or both under such circumstances.
Emergency circumstance. The existence of circumstances in which the element of time in expeditiously transporting a sick or injured person or persons for medical or surgical treatment is essential to the health or life of such person or persons, and in which rescue operations or competent first aid or both at the place of emergency may be essential to the health or life of such person or persons.
Emergency vehicle. A vehicle rendering repair services, installation services, services to person or persons requiring the display of emergency equipment of any type, which is defined as lights, horn, or other similar devices, or signs of direction, indicating and specifying that said vehicle shall be allowed to ride upon, park, obstruct, or in any way interfere with the access to public streets and roadways.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 1, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-2. - Soliciting prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any person, while operating or accompanying an emergency ambulance on the public streets or easements of the city, to solicit the business of transporting the sick or injured.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 5, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-3. - Insurance required.
Before any emergency ambulance or emergency vehicle may be operated in the city, the owner or operator shall have in full force and effect a public liability insurance policy on each emergency ambulance, such insurance policy to be issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in the state or by a surplus line insurance company which is not legally prohibited from doing business in the state. Such policy shall provide liability insurance in the amount as is currently required by the City of Houston for emergency vehicles operating within that municipality. Such insurance policy shall not contain a passenger liability exclusion. It shall be unlawful to operate an emergency ambulance, or an emergency vehicle within the city without such insurance.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 6, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-4. - Vehicle condition and safety.
No emergency ambulance shall be operated on the public streets of the city, unless it is free of structural defects and unless it has no serious impairment of safety features resulting from an accident or otherwise.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 8, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-5. - Speed limit.
(a) It shall be unlawful to drive and operate an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the city at a rate of speed of more than five miles per hour in excess of the speed limits applicable to non-emergency vehicles, provided that it shall be unlawful to operate or drive an emergency ambulance on the public streets of the city in excess of the speed limits applicable to nonemergency vehicles, unless the driver thereof has been dispatched or cleared for emergency ambulance service.
(b) It shall be unlawful to operate or drive an emergency ambulance in excess of ten miles per hour while entering and passing through an intersection if such intersection is controlled by a stop sign or by a traffic signal which indicates stop by displaying a red light.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 9, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-6. - Right to inspect vehicles.
The chief of police or his designee shall have the right to inspect all emergency vehicles from time to time on a spot inspection basis. in the event any emergency ambulance fails to pass an inspection, or in the event inspection thereof is refused or not allowed, this shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 10, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-7. - Interfering with use of streets.
It shall be unlawful for any emergency vehicle, emergency ambulance vehicle or any other vehicle as described in this chapter, to block, impede, or in any way interfere with the orderly movement of traffic, upon any street, highway or public way in the city when performing services or repair functions, unless engaged in the performance of a bona fide emergency function or rendering emergency services.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 11, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-8. - Refusal to transport sick or injured person.
It shall be unlawful for any emergency ambulance operator, or any person employed on an emergency ambulance, to refuse to carry or transport any sick or injured person at the place of an emergency regardless of whether or not the sick or injured person is, or appears to be indigent, and such apparent indigence shall not serve as an excuse from this requirement.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 12, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-9. - Duty to render first aid and assistance.
It shall be unlawful for the driver or the attendant of an emergency ambulance to fail to render first aid and assistance to the sick or injured at the place of emergency.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 13, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-10. - False calls for service and reports.
Any person who maliciously and willfully, in writing, or orally, or by use of any telephone, telegram, radio or mechanical device or contrivance whatsoever, or by any name known, makes, gives, sends a report, or communicates any false call or request for service of any vehicles used for the transportation of injured, ill or deceased persons, or communicates any false report or falsely reports any act or fact situation initially and voluntarily to any person operating such transportation service, or the agents or employees thereof, or to any officer, agent or employee of the city for the purpose of causing, or which report or false call or request for services is calculated to cause, any person furnishing such transportation service, or his agents or employees, or the city, to respond thereto, or to do or perform some act or to do or render some service as a result thereof, or to mislead or harass any person furnishing such transportation service, his agents or employees, or the city, its officers, agents or employees, shall be guilty of violating this chapter.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 14, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-11. - Equipment required.
No emergency medical service vehicle shall be operated on the public streets of the city, unless it is equipped in accordance with standards established by the state board of health.
Sec. 4-12. - Use of sirens or warning lights.
The use of sirens or flashing emergency lights on an ambulance upon the public streets of the city, shall be unlawful except when furnishing emergency ambulance service which has been dispatched or cleared by the police radio dispatcher.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 16, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-13. - Reserved.
Sec. 4-14. - Operation of ambulance from outside city.
Transportation of the sick or injured within the city by an ambulance service having its established permanent address outside the city limits is hereby authorized when the point of origin of the emergency ambulance trip is outside the city limits, providing that the ambulance is duly licensed and operated in accordance with the Emergency Medical Services Act and provided that the speed and other traffic regulations as set out in this chapter or chapter 30, applicable to the operation of emergency ambulances are complied with.
(Ord. No. 2070, § 18, 12-2-1974)
Sec. 4-15. - Operation by governmental entities.
Nothing in this chapter shall apply to the operation of emergency ambulances, emergency ambulance service or emergency vehicles by any agency of government. However, it is specifically provided that anyone who shall violate section 4-10 of this chapter with respect to emergency ambulances, emergency ambulance service or emergency vehicles operated by a governmental agency, shall be deemed to have violated this Code.
Sec. 4-16. - Billing and collection of charges.
(a) The director of finance is authorized to bill and collect for every call made by the City of Houston Fire Department for the purposes of rendering emergency ambulance service within the city limits of the City of Bellaire, such amount as then being charged by the City of Houston to residents of the City of Houston for similar services.
(b) The city manager is hereby authorized from time to time to set and establish an itemized billing fee schedule for ambulance calls and emergency medical services provided by the City of Bellaire. The city manager shall file with the city clerk a statement establishing the fees as herein provided. The statement of the city manager filed with the city clerk shall be prima facie evidence of the fees established and shall have the same legal significance as if adopted by ordinance of the city council.
(Ord. No. 83-089, § 1, 11-21-1983; Ord. No. 86-075, § 1, 10-6-1986; Ord. No. 92-081, § 1, 10-19-1992; Ord. No. 01-026, § 2, 4-2-2004)