§ 4.604. Violations

It shall be unlawful:

(1)

To perform duties as an ambulance driver, or attendant (EMT or paramedic), without a current certification issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services;

(2)

To permit a person to work as an ambulance driver, or attendant without a current license issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services;

(3)

To use, or cause to be used, any ambulance service other than that of the City of Bowie Fire Department, except those services described in subsection (6) of this section;

(4)

For any person, firm or organization to provide ambulance service within this jurisdiction other than the City of Bowie Fire Department;

(5)

To knowingly give false information to induce the dispatch of an ambulance or aeromedical transportation unit;

(6)

It shall be a defense to any alleged violation of this section 1-4 that the vehicle is being used solely in any of the following manners:

a.

A privately owned vehicle not ordinarily used in the business of transporting persons who are sick, injured, wounded, incapacitated or helpless.

b.

A vehicle rendering service as an ambulance in the event of a major catastrophe or extreme system overload when such condition is declared by the medical director, the director of the EMS service, or by an authorized representative of the City of Bowie Fire Department, and such assistance has been requested by the communication center.

c.

Any ambulance owned or operated by the federal or state government.

d.

Any transport to a location within the service area, which transport originated from a point outside the service area.

e.

Mutual aid calls when rendered pursuant to a mutual aid agreement approved by the City of Bowie.

f.

Special events coverage, so long as such service is provided without charge by an emergency medical services volunteer provider, as defined in Section 773.003(13) of the Texas Health and Safety Code, or when approved by the City of Bowie Fire Department.

g.

Wheelchair transport services which are not provided on a point-to-point basis, but which provide pickup and delivery by way of regularly scheduled routes.

h.

Medical transports by aeromedical where such transports originate outside the service area or at a hospital location within the service area.

i.

Specialized MICU utilized for hospital to hospital transport (i.e. pediatric specialty).

j.

A provider licensed through the Texas Department of State Health Services and contracted with and subsidized by Montague County, Texas, is transporting nursing home residents residing in nursing homes located in Bowie, Texas by EMS or any other transport to Nocona General Hospital, if such transfer is medically appropriate and the resident or his/her authorized representative has requested a transfer to Nocona General Hospital.

(Ord. No. 2015-04, Sec. 1, adopted 3-17-15; Ord. No. 2017-08, Sec. 1, adopted 6-20-17)