(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Assembly Bill No. 488–Committee on
Health and Human Services

 

(On Behalf of Clark County)

 

March 19, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

 

SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to transportation by fire-fighting agencies of sick or injured persons to medical facilities. (BDR 40‑181)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                             Effect on the State: No.

 

~

 

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to emergency medical services; providing for the issuance in certain counties of permits authorizing fire-fighting agencies to transport sick or injured persons to medical facilities; providing for the adoption of ordinances governing the imposition and collection of certain fees by those fire-fighting agencies; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

   Section 1.  Chapter 450B of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section to read as follows:

   1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, no permit may be issued pursuant to this chapter authorizing a fire-fighting agency to provide intermediate or advanced medical care to sick or injured persons while transporting those persons to a medical facility.

   2.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 9 of NRS 450B.200, the county or district board of health in a county whose population is 400,000 or more may issue a permit pursuant to NRS 450B.200 or 450B.210 authorizing a fire-fighting agency to provide intermediate or advanced medical care to sick or injured persons at the scene of an emergency and while transporting those persons to a medical facility.

   Sec. 2.  NRS 450B.040 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   450B.040  “Ambulance” means a motor vehicle which is specially designed, constructed, equipped and staffed to provide basic, intermediate or advanced care for one or more:

   1.  Sick or injured persons; or

   2.  Persons whose medical condition may require special observation during transportation or transfer[.] ,

including, without limitation, such a vehicle of a fire-fighting agency.

1-1    Sec. 3.  NRS 450B.072 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2    450B.072  “Fire-fighting agency” means a fire department or fire

1-3  protection district of the state or a political subdivision which holds a

1-4  permit [authorizing it to provide intermediate or advanced medical care to

1-5  sick or injured persons at the scene of an emergency. This ] issued

1-6  pursuant to this chapter. The term does not include a person or

1-7  governmental entity , other than a governmental entity to whom a permit

1-8  is issued in accordance with the provisions of section 1 of this act, which

1-9  provides transportation of [those] sick or injured persons to a medical

1-10  facility.

1-11  Sec. 4.  NRS 450B.100 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-12  450B.100  “Permit” means the permit issued by the health authority

1-13  under the provisions of this chapter to:

1-14  1.  A person, agency of the state or political subdivision to own or

1-15  operate an ambulance or air ambulance in the State of Nevada; or

1-16  2.  A fire-fighting agency to provide intermediate or advanced medical

1-17  care [at] to sick or injured persons:

1-18  (a) At the scene of an emergency[.] ; or

1-19  (b) At the scene of an emergency and while transporting those persons

1-20  to a medical facility.

1-21  Sec. 5.  NRS 450B.240 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-22  450B.240  1.  A person or governmental entity shall not engage in the

1-23  operation of any ambulance or air ambulance service in this state without a

1-24  currently valid permit for that service issued by the health authority.

1-25  2.  A fire-fighting agency shall not provide intermediate or advanced

1-26  medical care to sick or injured persons at the scene of an emergency or

1-27  while transporting those persons to a medical facility without a currently

1-28  valid permit for that care issued by the health authority.

1-29  Sec. 6.  NRS 450B.250 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-30  450B.250  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person shall

1-31  not serve as an attendant on any ambulance or air ambulance and a fireman

1-32  shall not provide intermediate or advanced medical care to sick or injured

1-33  persons at the scene of an emergency or while transporting those persons

1-34  to a medical facility unless he holds a currently valid license issued by the

1-35  health authority under the provisions of this chapter.

1-36  Sec. 7.  NRS 450B.260 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-37  450B.260  1.  Except as otherwise provided in this section, the public

1-38  or private owner of an ambulance or air ambulance or a fire-fighting

1-39  agency which owns a vehicle used in providing medical care to sick or

1-40  injured persons at the scene of an emergency or while transporting those

1-41  persons to a medical facility shall not permit its operation and use by any

1-42  person not licensed under this chapter.

1-43  2.  An ambulance carrying a sick or injured patient must be occupied

1-44  by a driver and an attendant, each of whom is licensed as an attendant

1-45  pursuant to this chapter or exempt from licensing pursuant to subsection 6

1-46  of NRS 450B.160, except as otherwise provided in subsection 5 or in

2-1  geographic areas which may be designated by the board and for which the

2-2  board may prescribe lesser qualifications.

2-3    3.  An air ambulance carrying a sick or injured patient must be

2-4  occupied by a licensed attendant, or a person exempt from licensing

2-5  pursuant to subsection 6 of NRS 450B.160, in addition to the pilot of the

2-6  aircraft.

2-7    4.  The pilot of an air ambulance is not required to have a license under

2-8  this chapter.

2-9    5.  A person who operates or uses a vehicle owned by a fire-fighting

2-10  agency is not required to be licensed under this chapter, except that such a

2-11  vehicle may not be used to provide intermediate or advanced medical care

2-12  [at] to sick or injured persons:

2-13  (a) At the scene of an emergency unless at least one person in the

2-14  vehicle is licensed to provide the care[.] ; or

2-15  (b) While transporting those persons to a medical facility unless at

2-16  least two persons in the vehicle are licensed to provide the care.

2-17  Sec. 8.  NRS 244.2961 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-18  244.2961  1.  The board of county commissioners may by ordinance

2-19  create a district for a fire department. The board of county commissioners

2-20  is ex officio the governing body of any district created pursuant to this

2-21  section and may:

2-22  (a) Organize, regulate and maintain the fire department.

2-23  (b) Appoint and prescribe the duties of the fire chief.

2-24  (c) Designate arson investigators as peace officers.

2-25  (d) Regulate or prohibit the storage of any explosive, combustible or

2-26  inflammable material in or transported through the county, and prescribe

2-27  the distance from any residential or commercial area where it may be kept.

2-28  Any ordinance adopted pursuant to this paragraph that regulates places of

2-29  employment where explosives are stored must be at least as stringent as the

2-30  standards and procedures adopted by the division of industrial relations of

2-31  the department of business and industry pursuant to NRS 618.890.

2-32  (e) Establish, by ordinance, a fire code and other regulations necessary

2-33  to carry out the purposes of this section.

2-34  (f) Include the budget of the district in the budget of the county.

2-35  (g) Hold meetings of the governing body of the district in conjunction

2-36  with the meetings of the board of county commissioners without posting

2-37  additional notices of the meetings within the district.

2-38  2.  If the fire department transports sick or injured persons to a

2-39  medical facility, the board of county commissioners shall adopt:

2-40  (a) An ordinance:

2-41      (1) Requiring the fire department to defray the expenses of

2-42  furnishing such transportation by imposing and collecting fees; and

2-43      (2) Establishing a schedule of such fees; or

2-44  (b) An ordinance prohibiting the imposition and collection of any fees

2-45  for such transportation.

2-46  3.  The other officers and employees of the county shall perform duties

2-47  for the district that correspond to the duties they perform for the county.

 

3-1    [3.] 4.  All persons employed to perform the functions of the fire

3-2  department are employees of the county for all purposes.

3-3    Sec. 9.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

 

3-4  H