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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 5899 ORDINANCE NO, 5"is9 9 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 6 OF THE FORT WORTH CITY CODE, WHICH CHAPTER REGULATES THE OPERATION OF AMBULANCES, BY ADDING SECTION 6-1(q) THERETO DEFINING MEDI-COACHES; AMENDING SECTION 6-19(b) THEREOF BY NOT REQUIRING THE FURNISHING OF BED LINENS IN MEDI-COACHES; AND AMENDING SECTION 6-19(c) THEREOF BY NOT REQUIRING AN ATTENDANT IN MEDI- COACHES; MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE; PRO- VIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1, That Section 6-1 of Chapter 6 of the Fort Worth City Code (1964) be amended by adding Section 6-1(q) thereto and, after having been so amended, same shall hereafter read as follows: "Sec, 6-1(q) MEDI-COACH - The term 'Medi- Coach' shall mean a special purpose invalid coach for the transportation of non-ambulatory persons who are confined to wheel chair or other similar apparatus other than a litter or bed. Medi-Coaches are not emergency vehicles and all Medi-Coach calls shall be non emergency Code I, " SECTION 2, That Section 6-19(b) of Chapter 6 of the Fort Worth City Code (1964) is hereby amended, and after having been so amended, same shall hereafter read as follows: " (b) Clean and sanitary bed linens shall be provided for each patient carried and shall be changed after the discharge of a patient and before any subsequent patient is picked up. Provided, however, that vehicles designated and inspected as Medi-Coaches shall not be required to pro- vide bed linens," SECTION 3. That Section 6-19(c) of Chapter 6 of the Fort Worth City Code (1964) is hereby amended and, after having been so amended, same shall hereafter read as follows: " (c) Each ambulance shall have, in addition to the driver, an attendant who holds a current American Red Cross Advanced First Aid or U.S. Bureau of Mines First Aid certificate certified by the City Health Officer, which attendant shall remain in attendance to the patient being conveyed. Provided, however, that vehicles designated and inspected as Medi-Coaches shall not be required to have an attendant in addition to the driver. " SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be, and is hereby declared to be, cumulative of all other ordinances and provisions of the Code of the City of Fort Worth regulating the operation of ambulances and this ordinance shall not operate to repeal or affect any of such other ordinances or provisions of the code of the City of Fort Worth regulating the operation of ambulances except insofar as the provisions thereof may be inconsistent or directly in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance, in which event such conflicting provi- sions, if any, in such other ordinances or code provisions are hereby repealed. SECTION 5, If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held .to be unconstitutional, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance, and the remainder thereof not so held to be unconstitu- tional shall continue to be in full force and effect. SECTION 6, This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after the date of its passage and publication, as required by law. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: City Attorney ADOPTED the 111 day of A. D. 196_. MCMAHM =. City of Fort Worth, Texas LINE -- Mayor and Council Communication MORPHI8 GRAHAM DATE REFERENCE SUBJECT: Amendment to Ambulance Ordinance PAGE NUMBER Regulating Medi-Coach Service 1 N1otRovaX 12/18/67 G-1175 or v In recognition of a potential demand for the service, reports of successful experience in other cities, and the desirability of increasing revenue to the ymmwa City's contract ambulance service, it is proposed that City Code provisions regulating ambulance service be amended to permit the operation of specially equipped vehicles for the transportation of non-ambulatory persons who are confined to wheel chair or similar apparatus other than a­litter or bed. A copy of the proposed code amendment is attached to this communication. The service, termed 'iledi-Coach", is non-emergency, and is used primarily to transport non-walking persons to and from places of treatment or confinement, or to furnish "outings" for persons who would not otherwise be able to ride within a vehicle while remaining in a wheelchair. Medi-Coach vehicles are normally equipped with a side-loading ramp, a high silhouette, and special anchoring devices on the floor of the vehicle which hold the wheel chairs in place while the vehicle is in motion, The Medi-Coach holds up to four wheel chairs. Amendment of the Code is necessary because Medi-Coach service is normally furnished with only one driver-attendant, and the existing code requires a driver and an attendant for all emergency and invalid coach service. Because of the nature of the service, no linens or other specialized first aid equip- ment would be required. for Medi-Coaches. Gold Cross Ambulance Service, Inc. , is prepared to initiate service of the Medi-Coach and has announced the intention to establish a fee of $7.50 per trip or $12.50 where the individual makes two trips in one day. Special rates of $20 per hour will be offered for groups of up to four non-ambulatory pa- tients who might wish to use the service for recreational purposes ($5 each per hour for four persons). The Department of Law reports that the Medi-Coach service can be regulated within the framework of existing code provisions, if the Code is amended as proposed. A convenience and necessity hearing would be necessary for any new nd independent operator of the service, or for any ex nd in- valid coach operator who wishes to furnish Medi-Coachn to the number of ambulances and invalid coaches already ity Council. � The City Council Ambulance Study Committee has reviewe amend- ment and recommends that the attached ordinance amende City Code be adopted. City Council action on the Study Committee recommendation is requested. HDM:lp SUBMITTED BY: DISPOSITIO Y COUNCIL: PROCESSED BY APPROVED ❑ OTHER (DESCRIBE) CITY SECRETARY 141 DATE CITY MANAGER DEC 18 196