§ 28-2. Purpose.

(a)

This chapter is to provide for the public health, safety and welfare in the use of ambulance and other pre-hospital emergency care resources by the establishment of effective standards for the operation, equipment and personnel of ground ambulance and air ambulance services. It is intended to be consistent with and in furtherance of the public purposes expressed by the legislature in the Emergency Medical Services Act and other enactments. It is intended to improve the availability and quality of emergency medical services within the EMS area under the jurisdiction of the Sonoma County EMS agency. It is intended to apply to limited advanced life support services, advanced life support services, paramedic and emergency medical technician services, and all emergency ambulance services, to the extent permitted by law. This chapter does not cover wheelchair vans, gurney cars or similar dedicated non-ambulance vehicles. This chapter applies to vehicles or aircraft requiring an emergency vehicle license from the California Highway Patrol, or an air carrier operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. This chapter shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes.

(b)

This chapter is not intended to increase the obligations upon publicly owned and operated fire department or fire district ambulance services beyond the obligations already established and observed between the fire department or fire district ambulance services and the county EMS agency on or before January 1, 1991. While fire department and fire district ambulance services shall not be required to secure permits, the ambulances and their personnel shall be subject to all requirements established within this chapter, the Emergency Medical Services Act, the California Code of Regulations, and the policies, practices and procedures adopted pursuant to this chapter by the Sonoma County EMS agency.

(Ord. 4476 § 3, 1991; Ord. No. 4435 § 2, 1991: Ord. No. 4386 § 1, 1991.)