Chapter 30. Emergency Services

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Alarm site means a single premises or location served by an alarm system.

Alarm system means a device or assembly of equipment that emits, transmits or relays a signal intended to summon or that would reasonably be expected to summon police or fire services of the city, including an alarm that emits an audible signal on the exterior of a structure. An alarm system does not include:

(1) An alarm system installed on a motor vehicle unless the vehicle is used for a habitation at a permanent site;

(2) An alarm system installed upon the premises occupied by the United States government, the state, the city or any county government or school district situated within the corporate limits;

(3) An alarm designed to alert only the inhabitants of a premises which does not emit a signal audible or visible from the exterior of a structure; or

(4) A Varda alarm.

Alarm system permit or permit means a certificate of authorization issued by the city to the owner, agent or person in control of the property which authorizes the operation of an alarm system at an alarm site.

Burglar alarm notification means a notification which summons the police, which is initiated or triggered by an alarm system designed to respond to a stimulus characteristic of unauthorized intrusion.

False burglar alarm notification means a burglar alarm notification to the police, when the police personnel respond within 30 minutes of the notification and find no evidence of unauthorized intrusion or attempted unauthorized intrusion. The term does not include any activation of an alarm system:

(1) Caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, earthquakes or gale force winds or higher;

(2) Caused by a natural or manmade catastrophe; or

(3) To which the response by the police department is canceled by either the alarm system user or his authorized agent prior to the arrival of responding police personnel at the alarm site.

False fire alarm notification means a fire alarm notification to the fire department, when the responding fire department personnel respond within 30 minutes of the notification and find no evidence of a fire having occurred. The term does not include any activation of an alarm system:

(1) Caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, earthquakes or gale force winds or higher; or

(2) Caused by a natural or manmade catastrophe; or

(3) To which the response by the fire department is canceled by either the alarm system user or his authorized agent and no response is made by the fire department at the alarm site.

Fire alarm notification means a notification which is initiated or triggered by an alarm system designed to react to any of the visual or physical characteristics of fire.

Permit holder means any person to whom an alarm system permit is issued.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

Unless a valid alarm system permit has been issued by the city, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate, cause to be operated or allow to be operated an alarm system at an alarm site within the city or in area in which the city is required via a contract, other than a mutual aid agreement, to provide fire protection services in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction. A separate alarm system permit is required for each alarm site.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

(a) Application. Application for an alarm system permit shall be made with the city clerk by the person who is responsible for the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm system. Application shall be made in writing or in an acceptable electronic format by a person at least 18 years of age, on a form designated by the city and accompanied by a permit fee as established in section 2-595 of this code. The application shall include at least the following information:

(1) The name, address and telephone number of the person responsible for the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm system and payment of fees or charges levied under this article;

(2) The address of the alarm site, and whether it is residential or commercial, including the name of all businesses operating at the site;

(3) The name, address and telephone number of the alarm protective service or person who will install or monitor the alarm system; and

(4) The business and residence addresses and telephone numbers of the primary person designated to respond to an alarm site when requested by the city police or fire personnel and at least one other contact person at least 18 years of age.

(b) Renewal application. An alarm permit holder may renew the permit holder's alarm permit by submitting a permit renewal application in writing or in an acceptable electronic format updating any information required in subsection (a) and submitting it to the city clerk at least ten calendar days prior to the expiration of the then-current permit along with a renewal application fee as established in section 2-595 of this Code.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11; Ord. No. 14,422, § 2, 6-25-20)

(a) Permit term.

(1) Commercial. A commercial alarm system permit shall be issued for a period of one year and is renewable annually. It is the responsibility of the commercial permit holder to submit an application for renewal at least ten days prior to the alarm system permit expiration date.

(2) Residential.

a. A residential alarm system permit shall be issued for a period of one year and is renewable annually. It is the responsibility of the residential permit holder to submit an application for renewal at least ten days prior to the alarm system permit expiration date.

b. All residential alarm system permits issued before October 2, 2011, are declared to be valid until February 28, 2012, after which they will automatically expire unless renewed in accordance with this article.

(b) Issuance. Upon receipt of the completed application form, the city clerk shall issue an alarm system permit unless the police chief or fire chief determines that an alarm system permit should not be issued or renewed on the basis of subsection 30-29(a).

(c) Transferability. An alarm system permit issued under this division cannot be transferred to another person.

(d) Change of information. If the primary or secondary person designated to respond to an alarm site or any other information provided in the application for an alarm system permit changes at any time during the term of the alarm system permit, the permit holder must notify the city in writing within ten days of the change. No fee will be assessed for any such change.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

(a) Basis. The police chief or fire chief may refuse to grant or renew an alarm system permit or may revoke an alarm system permit if he determines that:

(1) There is false statement of a material matter in the application;

(2) The permit holder has violated this article or any of its provisions;

(3) The permit holder has failed to pay a service fee assessed under this article within 30 days of the permit holder's notification of the assessment of the fee;

(4) The alarm system has had eight or more false burglar alarm notifications during the permit term; or

(5) The alarm system has had eight or more false fire alarm notifications during the permit term.

Any revocation or nonrenewal shall be for a period of up to one year as determined by the police chief or fire chief.

(b) Notice of denial or revocation. If the police chief or fire chief determines that an alarm system permit should not be issued or renewed or that an alarm system permit should be revoked, he shall send to the applicant or permit holder by certified mail, return receipt requested, written notice of his determination setting forth the reason therefor and advising the applicant or permit holder of the right to an appeal.

(c) Notice of appeal. The applicant or permit holder may appeal the decision to deny or revoke an alarm system permit by filing with the city clerk a written request for a hearing, setting forth the reasons for the appeal, within ten calendar days after receipt of the notice of the decision to deny or revoke an alarm system permit. If a request for an appeal hearing is not made within the ten-day period, the determination of the police chief or fire chief is final.

(d) Appeal. The appeal shall be heard by the city manager, who shall consider evidence offered by any interested person. The formal rules of evidence shall not apply at such hearing. The city manager shall make a decision on the basis of a fair preponderance of the evidence presented and matters officially noticed at the hearing. The city manager shall render a decision within 30 days after the appeal hearing. Such decision shall affirm, reverse, or modify the determination of the police chief or the fire chief and the city manager's decision is final.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

Any person violating any provision of this article shall upon conviction be punished by a fine as provided in section 1-14.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

(a) Upon reasonable notification, the police chief or fire chief may inspect a commercial alarm site and alarm system of a permit holder during regular business hours.

(b) The permit required in section 30-26 of this article for a commercial alarm site shall be displayed at all times at or near the physical entrance to the alarm site in such a manner that it will be conspicuous to persons who enter the premises.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

(a) A permit holder must adjust or modify the sensory mechanism of his alarm system to suppress false indications of force so that the alarm system will not be activated by impulses due to:

(1) Transient pressure changes in water pipes;

(2) Flashes of light;

(3) Wind noise caused by the rattling or vibrating of doors or windows;

(4) Vehicular noise adjacent to the installation; or

(5) Other forces unrelated to actual emergencies.

(b) A permit holder must maintain the alarm site containing an alarm system in a manner that ensures proper operation of the alarm system. It is the responsibility of the alarm permit holder to properly maintain the alarm system to prevent false activations. Should a permit holder have more than four false activations within 30 days, an inspection of the alarm system will be required by a licensed repairman. Notice must be made in writing to the city clerk from the repairman of findings of the inspection within 30 days. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of the alarm system permit.

(c) A permit holder or person in control of an alarm system shall respond or cause a representative to respond within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 30 minutes, when requested by the city police or fire personnel to repair or inactivate a malfunctioning alarm system, to provide access to the premises or to provide security for the premises.

(d) A permit holder or person in control of an alarm system shall adjust the mechanism or cause the mechanism to be adjusted so that an alarm signal will sound for no longer than 30 minutes after being activated. If an alarm system sounds a broadcast signal for longer than 30 minutes after being activated, police or fire personnel may disable the alarm, and costs to the city associated with disabling the alarm system shall be assessed to the person required to have an alarm system permit and shall be paid to the city within 30 days after notification that costs have been assessed. Application for an alarm system permit constitutes a grant of approval to the city to disable the alarm as provided in this subsection.

(e) A permit holder or person in control of an alarm system that causes an alarm notification to be sent to the city public safety communications center shall adjust the mechanism or cause the mechanism to be adjusted so that upon activation the system will transmit only one alarm signal and will not transmit another alarm signal without first being manually reset at the alarm site.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11)

(a) A permit holder must pay any service fees assessed under the provisions of this section within 30 days after receipt of notice that the director has assessed it.

(1) Burglar alarms. A permit holder will be assessed a fee as established in section 2-595 of this Code for the signaling of a false alarm by a burglar alarm system in excess of four false alarms which have occurred during the previous 12-month period.

(2) Fire alarms. A permit holder will be assessed a fee as established in section 2-595 of this code for the signaling of a false alarm by a fire alarm system in excess of four false alarms which have occurred at the permitted site during the term of the permit.

(b) In addition to the service fee prescribed in this section, the city shall assess a civil penalty in the amount established in section 2-595 for each law enforcement response to a signal from the alarm system requested by an alarm system monitor.

(c) A service fee will not be assessed if:

(1) The police department fails to respond within a reasonable time of notification of a burglar alarm, or

(2) The permit holder or person who is required to obtain an alarm system permit shows to the police chief or fire chief, within ten calendar days of the false alarm notification, that the activation was not a false alarm, and the burden is on the permit holder or person who is required to obtain an alarm system permit that the activation of the alarm system was not a false alarm.

(Ord. No. 11,749, § 2, 9-22-11; Ord. No. 14,422, § 3, 6-25-20)

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Advanced life support, emergency means an emergency circumstance that requires advanced emergency pre-hospital care that uses invasive medical acts to treat a serious medical condition.

Advanced life support, II, emergency means an emergency circumstance that requires advanced emergency pre-hospital care that uses invasive medical acts and administration of three or more medications to treat a life-threatening condition.

Ambulance means any vehicle used, designed or redesigned for the purpose of transporting the sick and injured.

Basic life support, emergency means an emergency circumstance, not requiring advanced life support, but requiring emergency pre-hospital care using noninvasive medical acts for the treatment of an individual whose health or condition would be endangered by other means of transport.

City limits means that area in the city within its corporate limits, plus the plant sites of those industries that have an industrial district agreement with the city, whether or not such plant site is within or without the corporate limits of the city.

Director means the chief of the fire department.

Emergency circumstances means the existence of circumstances in which the elements of time and expeditious transporting of an injured person for medical or surgical treatment are essential to the health or life of such person, in which rescue operations or competent first aid or both at the place of the emergency may be essential to the health or life of such person.

Emergency medical services means services used to respond to an individual's perceived need for immediate medical care and to prevent death or aggravation of physiological or psychological illness or injury, performance of the necessary rescue operations, rendering of any necessary first aid assistance or a trip to the hospital or other place for medical attention.

Emergency medical services vehicle means:

(1) A basic life-support emergency medical services vehicle;

(2) An advanced life-support emergency medical services vehicle;

(3) A mobile intensive-care unit; or

(4) A specialized emergency medical services vehicle.

EMS division means the EMS division of the city.

Medical transfer service means a response made by an ambulance for the transportation of individuals to or from a medical facility, a nursing home or residence under circumstances which do not constitute an emergency.

Medical transfer service permit means a certificate of authorization issued by the city to the owner allowing such owner to operate an ambulance for medical transfer services within the city limits.

Medical transfer service provider means a person providing medical transfer services and holding a valid medical transfer services permit.

State department of health means Texas Department of Health as presently constituted, or any successor agency.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00; Ord. No. 91-2, § 1, 1-25-01; Ord. No. 12,221, § 1, 3-28-13; Ord. No. 12,672, § 2, 10-9-14)

The director is vested with the authority and the responsibility for the administration and enforcement of this article.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) Any person wishing to appeal a decision of the EMS coordinator or assistant chief of the medical division of the fire department on the grounds that the decision misconstrues or wrongly interprets this chapter may, within 15 days after the decision, appeal the decision to the director, the EMS medical director and the city's health authority by making written request to the director. Such request must be filed with the city clerk within 15 days after such person has been notified of the decision of the EMS coordinator and must set forth in detail the basis of the appeal. The appealing party shall comply with the EMS coordinator's decision pending appeal unless the EMS coordinator shall direct otherwise.

(b) Any person shall have the right to appeal any decision of the officers designated in subsection (a) of this section to the city council by making written request to the city manager. Such request must be filed with the city clerk within 15 days after such person has been notified of the decision of the officials and must set forth in detail the basis of the appeal.

(c) No person shall have any right to appeal for relief to any court in regard to any matter covered by this article until after such person has exhausted the appeal procedure provided for in this section.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00; Ord. No. 12,221, § 2, 3-28-13)

Any person violating this article shall, upon conviction, be punished as provided in section 1-14. In addition, the city attorney is authorized to file suit in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any person from violating or causing to be violated any of the sections of this article.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

An emergency medical services vehicle shall be considered on an emergency medical service call when it is responding to a call for emergency assistance even though, upon arrival of the place of the emergency, it is found no further emergency medical assistance is required or when it is responding to a call for routine service and during such trip, emergency circumstances develop, whether because the call for assistance was falsely made or otherwise.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) The operation of emergency medical services vehicles on the city streets for the furnishing of emergency medical service is declared to be a governmental function of the city to be performed by the EMS division of the fire department in accordance with this article. It shall be unlawful for any person, including a medical transfer services provider, other than employees of the EMS division of the fire department or an agency of the United States government, while driving emergency medical services vehicles operated by the emergency division, to furnish or attempt to furnish emergency medical service or to operate or drive or cause to be operated or driven any medical services vehicles on the streets of the city for the purpose of furnishing emergency medical service.

(b) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under subsection (a) of this section if:

(1) The person operating an ambulance or emergency medical services vehicle, upon responding to a direct call for ambulance service, determines that an emergency existed requiring the sick or injured person to be transported with all practical speed for medical treatment and attention and obtained permission to operate such ambulance or emergency medical services vehicle in emergency ambulance service from the public safety communications division;

(2) The emergency medical service was provided by an emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance based outside the city when not in use and operated by a company having an established place of business and permanent address outside the city, provided:

a. The sick or injured person was picked up outside the city limits and was transported to a hospital within the city;

b. The emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance performing such emergency service was, at the time, duly licensed and operated in accordance with V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 773.001 et seq.; and

c. The driver of such emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance complied with all speed and other traffic regulations of the city and the state;

(3) The person operating an emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance within the city was performing a service under contract of maintaining an emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance at a particular location or event, for the purpose of transporting sick or injured persons for medical or hospital treatment, and determined that a sick or injured person at such location or event required immediate hospital or medical attention and obtained permission to operate such emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance in emergency service from the public safety communications division; or

(4) The emergency medical services vehicle service was provided at the request of the public safety communications division due to unavailability of a city emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance.

(c) In each instance set out in subsections (b)(1) through (4) of this section, the driver or operator of such emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance shall, prior to commencement of each emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance run, notify the public safety communications division of the conditions requiring the operation of the vehicle in emergency medical service or ambulance service, the location in which he is proceeding under emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance service and shall obtain permission for such trip from the public safety communications division. Each emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance operated under subsections (b)(1) and (2) of this section shall comply with the requirements of this article regarding emergency medical services vehicles or ambulances, insofar as traffic safety is concerned. Each ambulance being operated under subsections (b)(3) and (4) of this section shall comply with all requirements of this article regarding emergency medical services vehicles or ambulances of every nature. Upon arriving at the destination, the driver or operator will again notify the public safety communications division that he has arrived and is no longer in emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance service. When the driver or operator of an emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance is responding to a direct call for emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance service under emergency conditions, he shall inform the public safety communications division of the location of such call and all information as he may have concerning the circumstances surrounding the request for service. If the public safety communications division reports that an emergency services vehicle is either in route to the same location or has arrived there and instructs such driver or operator not to respond to such call, it shall be unlawful for such driver or operator to so respond when instructed not to do so by the public safety communications center.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00; Ord. No. 12,221, § 3, 3-28-13)

(a) To partially defer the cost incurred by the city in providing emergency medical service, the following basic fees are established to be collected from the user of emergency medical service provided by the city:

Treatment—no transport .....$175.00

Basic life support (BLS), emergency .....$1,000.00

Advanced life support (ALS), emergency .....$1,400.00

Advanced life support II (ALS), emergency .....$1,600.00

Ambulance stand-by .....$150.00/hour

(b) In addition, the following fees are established to be collected as applicable: .....

Mileage (per patient mile) .....$22.00

Oxygen .....$120.00

Disposables (BLS) .....$200.00

Disposables (ALS) .....$400.00

(c) Bills for emergency medical service that have not been paid within 30 days of the date that such bill was mailed by the city shall be deemed delinquent. Delinquent bills for emergency medical service shall be charged ten percent interest, plus reasonable attorney's fees if a lawsuit is filed to collect the delinquency.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00; Ord. No. 9102, § 2, 1-25-01; Ord. No. 10,239, § 1, 1-12-06; Ord. No. 15,489, § 1, 7-27-23)

Any person who shall willfully, in writing or orally or by use of any telephone, telegram, radio or mechanical device or contrivance whatsoever or by any name known, make, give, send a report or communicate any false call or request for emergency medical service or communicate any false report or falsely report any act or fact situation initially and voluntarily to the dispatcher or to any person operating an ambulance or emergency medical service vehicle in the city for the purpose of causing or which report or false call or request for services is calculated to cause an ambulance or emergency medical services vehicle to respond or to do or perform some act or to do or render some service as a result thereof shall be guilty of an offense. The offense denounced in this section is basically the offense of giving or causing to be given by any means a false emergency medical service alarm or false emergency medical service request, and nothing in this section shall be construed as including a prohibition against the offense of false alarm or report prohibited by V.T.C.A., Penal Code § 42.06.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) Required. No person shall furnish, operate, conduct, maintain, advertise or otherwise be engaged in the operation of medical transfer services upon or over any public street within the city limits without having first obtained a medical transfer services permit.

(b) Exception. A medical transfer services permit shall not be required for:

(1) Emergency medical service vehicles or ambulances owned and operated by a governmental entity; or

(2) Emergency medical service vehicles or ambulances operating at the request of the city in cases of a mutual aid, disaster or system overload.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) An application for a medical transport service permit shall be filed with the director on a form provided by the director. Application for initial service may be made at any time. The applicant shall provide at least the following information:

(1) The name, title, business name, business address, and business phone number of the applicant as well as the following information as applicable:

a. If the person submitting the application represents a partnership, then the name, title, business name, business address, and business phone number shall be given on all partners and persons having an interest in the business;

b. If the person submitting the application represents a corporation, the name and location of its principal place of business, as well as the name, telephone number and address shall be given on all the officers and directors of the organization;

(2) Documentary evidence from the city's tax assessor-collector that ad valorem taxes on the property to be used in connection with the operation of the proposed medical transfer service have been paid;

(3) The names, business addresses, and business phone numbers of organization responsible for dispatching ambulances;

(4) The name, address, and phone numbers for the medical director responsible for all aspects of the operation of the applicant's medical transfer services within the city limits;

(5) A description of the make, vehicle identification number and license number of each ambulance proposed to be utilized in providing medical transfer services within the city limits;

(6) Level of care that the applicant proposes to provide according to the state department of health standards within the city limits;

(7) A certificate of insurance meeting the requirements of section 30-184; and

(8) Proof of a current valid state department of health emergency medical service provider permit.

(b) The application shall include a sworn statement by the applicant that the information provided in the application is true and correct.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

Each application for permit required by this division shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable permit fee as listed below, to cover the expense of carrying out the provisions of this article:

Application fee and one ambulance, per year .....$ 250.00

Each additional ambulance, per year .....100.00

There shall be no proration of fees.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) Any applicant for a permit under this division shall, before the permit can be issued, procure, maintain and furnish proof of financial responsibility as required by law and as prescribed in this section. The applicant shall keep in full force and effect during the entire term of his permit the following insurance coverages in the minimum limits listed:

(1) Automobile liability insurance of no less than $20,000.00 for bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident and, subject to such limit for one person, in the amount of $40,000.00 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident and in the amount of $15,000.00 for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident. This automobile liability insurance shall not contain a passenger liability exclusion.

(2) Commercial general liability insurance with a minimum aggregate of $500,000.00 and a minimum per occurrence limit of $250,000.00.

The insurance company shall be of sufficient assets, with an agent in the state upon whom service of process may be made, and shall be approved by the city attorney. Every insurance policy and certificate of insurance must contain a provision or an endorsement requiring that the city clerk shall be given at least 30 days' written notice prior to the date of cancellation before such policy may be cancelled by the insurer for any cause.

Such insurance shall be written by an insurance carrier licensed to do business in this state and which shall be of sufficient assets, with an agent in the state upon whom service of process may be made, and shall be approved by the city attorney. Every insurance policy and certificate of insurance must contain a provision or an endorsement requiring that the policy will not be canceled, suspended, voided or reduced until at least 30 days' prior written notice has been given to the city via certified mail, return receipt requested. Additionally, the city shall be added as an additional insured on the policies, and the coverage shall contain no special limitation on the scope of protection afforded to the city. If the policy does not provide coverage for "any auto," then a schedule of the covered autos is required to be submitted and filed with the city clerk. Only those covered autos will be permitted to operate within the city.

(b) If the city attorney determines that the insurance coverages required in subsection (a) of this section has become impaired and requires new and additional insurance, the city attorney shall require such additional insurance in such company as he may feel is required to ensure a faithful performance by the operator of ambulances and his agents, servants and employees, as well as a payment by such operator of ambulances, his agents, servants and employees or because of the violation by the operator of ambulances, individually or through his agents, servants or employees, of any city ordinance or any of the laws of the state or of the United States.

(c) If the insurance policy is cancelled and no insurance policy is filed by the owner or ambulance operators before the cancellation, the permit to operate ambulances granted to such person shall be automatically revoked.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) The director shall have the right to inspect at any time all ambulances permitted or to be permitted under this division to determine if such vehicles meet the following minimum standards:

(1) Each vehicle shall be equipped according to the state department of health equipment standards, and as determined by the ambulance service medical director;

(2) Each vehicle shall be free from dirt or rubbish and shall be otherwise clean and sanitary;

(3) Each vehicle shall meet the general standards and requirements of this article;

(4) Each vehicle shall have the company name displayed on each side of the vehicle and on the rear; and

(5) Each vehicle shall be inspected each year by a person authorized to conduct vehicle safety inspections by the state.

(b) At no time shall any ambulance that is found to be unsafe by the director be operated on the streets of the city. Nothing in this section, however, shall prevent the director from inspecting any ambulance at any time and if the director finds that any ambulance is in a defective condition, the director shall order the use of the ambulance discontinued until the ambulance is reinspected and approved.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

It shall be the duty of every medical transfer services provider to pay all ad valorem taxes assessed by the city against such vehicle and all other personal and real property used in such business. The failure to pay such ad valorem taxes before they become 90 days delinquent shall operate as a revocation of the permit issued in accordance with this division.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) Under this division, the director shall issue to each applicant a permit for each vehicle upon the applicant's filing of written proof of insurance as required in this division, upon ensuring that all city taxes on each vehicle and on all other personal and real property used in such business have been paid and upon a determination that all requirements of this article and all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations have been satisfied.

(b) Permits shall be issued for a 12-month period. Such period shall run from January 1 to December 31 of each year. Any new permit issued during the year shall begin on the date of issuance and shall end on December 31 of that year. The permit shall state the period for which the permit is issued, the name of the owner, the make of the vehicle, the vehicle identification number, and the current license number.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) An application for renewal of an existing permit shall be filed on or before December 15 of each calendar year. The application process shall be the same as specified in this subdivision for initial permits.

(b) The director shall issue a medical transfer service permit for each ambulance for which it has received a renewal application upon the applicant's filing of written proof of insurance as required in this division, upon ensuring that all city taxes on each vehicle and on all other personal and real property used in such business have been paid and upon a determination that all requirements of this article and all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations have been satisfied.

(c) If a permit has been suspended during the permit year, reissuance of such permit will be reviewed by the director, the EMS medical director and the city's health authority during December of such year. The awarding of such permit shall be denied if the director, the EMS medical director and the city's health authority determine that the health, general public safety and welfare of the citizens of the city demand such a result.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

A permit issued under this division shall be personal to the permittee and shall not be transferable.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

The city council expressly reserves the right to modify, amend, change, or eliminate any of the provisions of any permit issued under this division, during the life of the permit, to:

(1) Eliminate or delegate any conditions that might prove obsolete or impractical; or

(2) Impose any additional conditions upon any owner, as may be just and reasonable, and which are deemed necessary for the purpose of promoting adequate, efficient, and safe ambulance service to the public.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

In addition to the penalties as provided in this Code for violations of this article, a medical transfer service provider or any of its officers agents and/or employees who violate any section of this article, including allowing drivers to operate or drive any vehicle while not properly licensed, is subject to immediate cancellation of its medical transfer service permit to operate within the city limits by the director. However, not less than ten days before such cancellation, the owner shall be given written notice and an opportunity to be heard before the director, the EMS medical director and the city's health authority as to why the permit should not be cancelled. No such notice or hearing shall be deemed necessary prior to the revocation of a permit for failure to maintain proper insurance as required in section 30-184.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

The driver or operator of any ambulance of a medical transfer service provider shall comply with all of the state traffic laws and city ordinances, including this article, in furnishing medical transfer service. Any such driver or operator shall not permit the ambulance of a medical transfer service provider to be used as an emergency medical services vehicle or for emergency medical services without compliance with all requirements of this article regarding emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance service.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

(a) No emergency medical services vehicle or 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 any safety feature resulting from an accident or otherwise.

(b) No emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance shall be operated upon the streets of the city for the purpose of furnishing emergency ambulance service unless and until such vehicle or ambulance has been licensed in accordance with V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 773.001 et seq.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

No emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance shall be operated upon the city streets for the purpose of furnishing ambulance service, unless such vehicle or ambulance is equipped in accordance with V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 773.001 et seq. and all regulations of the state department of health.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)

Under this article, every emergency medical services vehicle or ambulance shall have the name of the ambulance or emergency medical service displayed on both exterior sides.

(Ord. No. 8840, § 1, 2-24-00)