§ 2-302. Definitions.

The following words and phrases as used in this article shall have the following meanings:

Advanced life support ambulance. Any vehicle that is equipped to provide treatment of life threatening emergencies through the use of advanced airway management, intravenous therapy, and other advanced pre-hospital care procedures.

Ambulance. Any privately or publicly owned motor vehicle that is specially designed or constructed and equipped and is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated for the transportation of patients.

Ambulance patient or patient. Any person being transported in a reclining position, whose transport originates within the city limits, to or from a health care facility.

Ambulance service contractor. That entity which is then currently under contract to provide all ambulance and ambulance patient services within the city limits.

Base station physician. A physician licensed to practice medicine in the state, and knowledgeable of pre-hospital protocols, EMS radio procedures and the general operating policies of the ambulance service contractor, and from whom ambulance personnel may take direction by radio or other remote communications device.

City commission. That group of officials elected to govern the affairs of this city.

Contract/regulated service area. The geographic area encompassing the city.

Emergency medical technician (EMT). An individual who is a "specially skilled emergency medical technician" under chapter 773, Texas Health and Safety Code, or its successor.

EMS system. That network of individual, organizations, facilities and equipment whose participation is required to generate a clinically appropriate, pre-planned system wide response for pre-hospital care and transport or inter-facility transport, so as to provide each patient the best possible chance of survival without disability, given available financial resources and EMS technology.

Extraordinary adjustment. A increase in either the rate or subsidy structure which is not a scheduled cost of living adjustment, but is instead an adjustment justified on the basis of either an increase in the system standard of care, or on the basis of an unusual increase in the cost of a factor or production when such increase in cost is industry wide and the result of causes beyond the ambulance service contractors reasonable control.

First responder. Any person, fire department vehicles, police vehicle, or other vehicle not normally used for purposes of patient transport, but which vehicle and onboard personnel are capable of providing services in medical emergencies.

Medical control. That direction given ambulance personnel by a base station physician through direct voice contact, with or without vital sign telemetry, as required by applicable medical protocols promulgated by the medical director and/or by chapter 773, Texas Health and Safety Code, or its successors.

Medical director. An emergency physician, expert in the pre-hospital practice of emergency medicine, appointed by the ambulance service contractor.

Medical protocol. Any diagnosis specific or problem oriented written statement of standard procedures, or algorithm, promulgated by the medical director as the proper standard of pre-hospital care for a given clinical condition.

Mutual aid agreement. A written agreement between one or more providers of ambulance service whereby the signing parties agree to provide backup ambulance service to one another under conditions and pursuant to terms specified in the agreement.

Paramedic. A person qualified as a certified "paramedic emergency medical technician": as defined by chapter 773, Texas Health and Safety Code or its successor.

Person. Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, governmental agency, or other group or combination acting as a unit.

Senior paramedic in charge. That person among the certified or licensed personnel assigned to an ambulance, which is a certified or licensed paramedic designated by the ambulance service contractor as the individual in command of the ambulance.

Special event. Any public event located within the regulated service area, for which standby ambulance service is arranged in advance, and for which an ambulance (or ambulances) are hired by the sponsor of the event or other interested paiiy.

System standard of care. The combined compilation of all priority dispatching protocols, pre-arrival instruction protocols, medical protocols (i.e. for first responders and ambulance personnel), protocols for selecting a destination hospital, standards for certification or pre-hospital care personnel (i.e., system status controllers, first responders, ambulance personnel and on-line medical control physicians), as well as standards governing requirements for onboard medical equipment and supplies, and licensure of ambulance services and first responder agencies. The system standard of care shall simultaneously serve as both a regulatory and contractual standard.

(Ord. No. 15-10-05, § 1, 10-19-15)