§ 5.66.010 — Definitions

5.66.010 - Definitions.

Unless otherwise stated, certain words and terms used in this chapter are defined as follows: 911 originated call franchise means a franchise granted by the Council affording a franchisee the right to provide ambulance service in the City in response to medical requests from the public services answering point. Administrator means the ambulance franchise administrator of the City of Riverside, who shall be the Fire Chief or his or her designee. Advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT) means a person trained and certified to provide limited advanced life support according to standards provided by Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code and the Local EMS Agency. Advanced life support (ALS) means special services designed to provide definitive prehospital emergency medical care, including, but not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, advanced airway management, intravenous therapy, administration of specified drugs and other medicinal preparations, and other specified techniques and procedures administered by authorized personnel under the direct supervision of a base hospital as part of a local EMS system at the scene of an emergency, during transport to an acute care hospital, during inter-facility transfer, and while in the emergency department of an acute care hospital until responsibility is assumed by the emergency or other medical staff of that hospital. Ambulance means any motor vehicle that is specifically constructed, modified, equipped, designed, used, licensed, or operated for transporting sick, injured, convalescing, infirm, or otherwise medically incapacitated person(s) in need of ambulance or medical care. The meaning includes, but is not limited to, privately and publicly owned ambulances. Ambulance does not include a gurney van or a non-medical vehicle for hire designed for the transportation of persons who are wheelchair users. Ambulance provider means any private or public person that owns, controls or operates one or more ambulances, whether for profit or not. Ambulance service means the activity, business, or service for hire, profit, or otherwise of transporting One or more persons by ambulance upon any of the streets, roads, highways, alleys, or any public way or place whether ALS, BLS, or CCT. Attendant means a person who is qualified and certified or licensed under State and County laws and regulations to act as an attendant on an ambulance that is transporting a patient and who occupies the patient compartment. Basic life support (BLS) means emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation medical care procedures which, at a minimum, include recognizing respiratory and cardiac arrest and starting proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain life without invasive techniques, unless authorized by state law or regulation, until the victim may be transported or until ALS medical care is available. Committee means the City Council's Safety, Wellness and Youth Committee. Consumer price index means the price index as set by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Critical care transport (CCT) means the medical transport of a patient between medical facilities where it has been determined by the patient's treating physician that such transport requires medical staff supervision consisting of a licensed registered nurse (R.N.) or physician. Driver means a person who is qualified and certified under State and County laws and regulations to operate and drive an ambulance. Emergency means a condition or situation in which a person has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the potential for such need is perceived by emergency medical personnel or a public safety agency. Emergency medical call means any request for the immediate and prompt dispatch of an ambulance for the purpose of providing immediate medical assistance or transportation of a patient. Emergency medical services (EMS) means the services needed to provide emergency medical care in a condition or situation in which a person has a need for immediate medical attention or where the potential for such need is perceived by emergency medical personnel, a public safety agency, or with respect to critical care transfers, qualified medical personnel of the facility from which the person is to be transferred. Any transportation services provided in response to a request for an ambulance operating under a permit issued by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol or the attendance of certified emergency medical personnel or licensed medical personnel shall be deemed the providing of emergency medical services. Emergency medical technician (EMT) means a person trained and certified to provide basic life support according to standards prescribed by Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code and the Local EMS Agency. Franchisee means any ambulance provider possessing a current franchise granted by the Council to provide 911 Originated Calls for service within the City. Health officer means the Director of Health for Riverside County who is also the City Health Officer. Level of service means the type or scope of ambulance services that may be provided by a franchisee, and for EMS will be specified as basic life support, critical care transport, limited advanced life support and advanced life support provided by personnel certified as specified in Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code and Title 22, Division 9 of the California Code of Regulations. Limited advanced life support (LALS) means special service designed to provide prehospital emergency medical care limited to techniques and procedures that exceed basic life support but are less than paramedic and are those procedures specified in Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code. Local EMS Agency means the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency of the County. Medical requests means any request for the dispatch of an ambulance for the purpose of providing medical assistance or transportation of a patient. Medical transport franchise means a franchise granted by the Council affording a franchisee the right to provide ambulance service in the City that does not originate from requests from the public services answering point. Paramedic (PM) or mobile intensive care paramedic (MICP) means a person specially trained and licensed to provide advanced life support according to standards prescribed by Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code. Patient means an individual who is sick, injured, wounded, convalescing, infirm, or otherwise medically incapacitated such that the need for some medical assistance might be anticipated while being transported to or from a medical facility. Permit means any ambulance provider possessing a current permit granted by the Administrator to provide non-emergency ambulance service within the City. Public services answering point means the City's call center for answering calls to an emergency telephone number for police, firefighting, and ambulance services where trained dispatchers dispatch these services.

(Ord. 7757, § 124, 2026; Ord. 7531 §8, 2020; Ord. 7345 § 1, 2016; Ord. 7232 § 1, 2013; Ord. 5761 § 1, 1989)