§ 45-1. Title; purposes; liberal construction.

(a)

This Chapter shall be known as the Emergency Medical Response Ordinance ("EMRO") of Butte County.

(b)

The purposes of this chapter are to provide for the regulation of all emergency medical transportation services and the emergency medical services connected therewith in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the County and to ensure that competent and adequate care is provided to those residents in need of such services. Further, it is the purpose of this chapter to regulate the provision of such services where there is a sudden need of immediate medical attention or, in non-emergency situations, a need for basic or advanced life support services as defined by the California Health and Safety Code.

(c)

This Chapter does not apply to wheelchair vans, gurney cars or similar non-emergency vehicles or operations or to vehicles not requiring an emergency vehicle permit from the California Highway Patrol.

(d)

Nothing in this chapter shall be limited by an ambulance service's base hospital agreement. Nothing in this chapter shall limit a base hospital from imposing standards higher than those provided in the EMRO; however, the base hospital must apply those standards uniformly to all Providers who have entered into Provider Agreements.

(e)

The Butte County EMS system includes the designation of Exclusive Operating Area(s)("EOAs") pertaining to the furnishing of 911 emergency medical services. At periodic intervals, the county Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA) may elect to conduct a competitive procurement process for the 911 Provider Agreements within each EOA. All 911 ambulance Providers must have an Advanced Life Support Provider Agreement in place with the LEMSA at the conclusion of the competitive procurement process, prior to beginning ambulance services in an EOA. Each non-911 ground ambulance Provider and each air ambulance Provider is also required to obtain an ALS Provider Agreement with the LEMSA prior to beginning ambulance services in the county.

(f)

This chapter shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes.

(Ord. No. 4057, § 1, 5-21-13)