GENERALLY

Denver Revised Municipal Code ch. 17, art. II, div. 1

in effect

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-11 Definitions.

Sec. 17-11. - Definitions. The following words and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them: (1) Abuse means any of the following acts: (a) The non-accidental infliction of bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death; (b) Confinement or restraint that is unreasonable under generally accepted standards; or (c) Subjection to nonconsensual sexual conduct or contact. (2) Background check means a national criminal history records check conducted by the federal bureau of investigation upon submission of fingerprint records and all required documents. (3) Based means a vehicle headquartered in or having a substation or office or a permanent station in the city, and whose primary response is dedicated to transporting patients originating in the city. (4) Behavioral health crisis means a significant disruption in a person's mental or emotional stability or functioning resulting in an urgent need for immediate assessment and treatment to prevent a further or serious deterioration in the person's mental or physical health. (5) Board means the board of public health and environment. (6) Chemical restraint means giving an individual medication involuntarily for the purpose of restraining that individual; except that "chemical restraint" does not include the involuntary administration of medication pursuant to C.R.S. § 27-65-111(5), or administration of medication for voluntary or life-saving medical procedures. (7) Reserved. (8) Emergency means any actual or self-perceived event which threatens life, limb or well-being of an individual in such a manner that immediate medical care is needed. (9) Emergency medical technician means any individual who, in accordance with C.R.S.§ 25-3.5-101 et seq., and its implementing regulations, holds a valid certificate as a paramedic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-basic issued by the Colorado Department of Health. (10) Emergency medical vehicle means any privately or publicly owned land or airborne vehicle, especially constructed or modified and equipped, intended to be used, and maintained or operated for the transportation upon the streets and highways in the city, of individuals who are sick, or injured or otherwise incapacitated or helpless; except fixed wing aircraft operating between the city and locations outside the city. (11) Emergency medical vehicle service means the furnishing, operating, conducting, maintaining, advertising, or otherwise engaging in or professing to be engaged in the business of transportation of patients by emergency medical vehicle. Taken in context, it also means the person so engaged or professing to be so engaged. The person so engaged and the vehicles used for the emergency transportation of persons injured at a mine are excluded from this definition when the personnel utilized in the operation of said vehicles are subject to the mandatory safety standard of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, or its successor agency. (12) Exploitation means an act or omission committed by a person who: (a) Uses deception, harassment, intimidation, or undue influence for their personal gain to permanently or temporarily deprive a patient of the use, benefit, or possession of anything of value; (b) Forces, compels, coerces, or entices a patient for the profit or advantage of the person or another person against the will of the patient; or (c) Misuses the property of a patient in a manner that adversely affects the patient's ability to receive services of care. (13) Independent secure transportation provider means a secure transportation provider who is not employed by a licensed secure transportation business. (14) Manager means the manager of the department of public health and environment. (15) Medical vehicle permit means the authorization issued by the manager of licensing and consumer protection and approved by the manager of public health and environment with respect to a medical vehicle used or to be used to provide medical vehicle service in the city. (16) Medical vehicle validation sticker means a sticker displayed on the left side of the windshield of a medical vehicle unit that has been inspected and issued a permit to operate in the city. The sticker shall indicate the year of validation and shall be provided by the manager of licensing and consumer protection. (17) License means the authorization issued by the manager of licensing and consumer protection to operate a medical vehicle service or to provide secure transportation in the city. (18) Licensee means the person or entity that has been issued a license by the city to provide medical vehicle services or secure transportation in the city. (19) Medical facility means licensed hospitals and nursing homes. (20) Medical vehicle means an emergency or nonemergency medical vehicle, excluding vehicles used for secure transportation. (21) Medical vehicle service means any person or entity which operates emergency medical vehicles or nonemergency medical vehicles. (22) Nonemergency medical vehicle means any surface vehicle for hire equipped to transport sick or disabled persons and to provide nonemergency medical services, excluding vehicles used for secure transportation. (23) Patient means any individual who is sick, injured, experiencing a behavioral health crisis, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless. (24) Physician advisor means a physician who establishes protocols or medical acts performed by EMT-Basics, EMT-lntermediates, EMT-Paramedics, and/or nonemergency medical vehicle operators of a prehospital emergency medical care service agency, and who is specifically identified as being responsible to assure the competency of the performance of the acts by such EMT-Basics, EMT-lntermediates, EMT-Paramedics and/or nonemergency medical vehicle operators. A "Physician Advisor" shall meet all qualifications as outlined in the "RULES DEFINING THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PHYSICIAN ADVISORS AND THE AUTHORIZED MEDICAL ACTS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND PARAMEDICS" (3-CCR-713-6) of the "ACTS ALLOWED" published and approved October, 1994, by the EMS Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. (25) Secure transportation or secure transportation services shall have the meaning set forth in C.R.S. § 25-3.5-103(11.4). (26) Secure transportation business means any form of business or commerce involving the transport of a patient experiencing a behavioral health crisis from any point within the City and County of Denver. (27) Secure transportation provider means a person engaged in any form of business or commerce involving the transport of a patient experiencing a behavioral health crisis from any point within the City and County of Denver. (28) Secure transportation vehicle means a vehicle conducting secure transportation services in the city. (29) To operate in the city means providing medical vehicle service or secure transport of patients originating within the boundaries of the City and County of Denver. (30) Vehicle permit validation sticker means a sticker displayed on the left side of the windshield of a secure transportation vehicle that has been inspected and issued a permit to operate in the city. The sticker shall indicate the year of validation and shall be provided by the manager of licensing and consumer protection to operate a secure transportation vehicle in the city. (Code 1950, § 971.3-1; Ord. No. 991-93, §§ 1, 2, 12-6-93; Ord. No. 475-97, § 1, 7-21-97; Ord. No. 427-18, § 10, 6-11-18; Ord. No. 552-23, § 2, 6-5-23; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 9, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-12 Exemptions from article.

Sec. 17-12. - Exemptions from article. (a) Licensed medical practitioners. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit a medical doctor, intern or resident, registered nurse or other person from giving treatment or caring for an injured person in conjunction with an emergency medical vehicle or service when such treatment or care is authorized under a license issued by the state. (b) Emergency medical services operated outside the city. An emergency medical service operating lawfully outside of the city may transport an ill or injured person from a location outside the city to a medical facility within the city or from a medical facility to a location outside the city, or may pass through the city in route from locations outside the city. If the transportation is on an emergency basis with red light and siren operating, the emergency medical service shall notify the dispatcher of the police department of the city of the route, destination and time of the transportation through, into or out of the city. (c) Emergency medical vehicles operated by the state or federal government. The provisions of this article shall not apply to emergency vehicles operated by the state, the federal government or any political subdivision of the state, their agencies or departments, except that any medical vehicle service operated by the city or by the Denver Health and Hospital Authority shall comply with all provisions of this article. (d) The exceptional emergency use of privately or publicly owned vehicle, including search and rescue unit vehicles, or aircraft not ordinarily used in the formal act of transporting patients. (e) A vehicle rendering services as an emergency medical vehicle in case of a major catastrophe or emergency when emergency medical vehicles with permits based on the localities of the catastrophe or emergency are insufficient to render the services required. (f) Emergency medical vehicles based outside this state which are transporting a patient to Colorado. (g) Vehicles used solely for the transportation of intoxicated persons or persons incapacitated by alcohol as defined in Section 25-1-302, C.R.S. as amended, but who are not otherwise disabled or seriously injured and would not be expected to require skilled treatment or care while in the vehicle. (Code 1950, §§ 971.3-18, 971.3-19, 971.3-20; Ord. No. 475-97, § 2, 7-21-97)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-13 Records and reporting.

Sec. 17-13. - Records and reporting. (a) An emergency medical vehicle service shall maintain such records relating to the transportation of patients as are deemed necessary by the manager, and such records and other information concerning transportation of patients shall be available for inspection by the manager at any reasonable time. (b) An emergency medical service licensee shall notify the manager of any judgment pending against the licensee. If a judgment is entered against such licensee, he or she, shall, within thirty (30) days, file a copy of such findings and Order of the Court, with the manager. The manager shall take note of such judgment for purposes of investigation and take appropriate action if there appears to be any violation of the Code or any other law. (Code 1950, § 971.3-9; Ord. No. 1110-96, § 1, 12-16-96; Ord. No. 475-97, § 3, 7-21-97; Ord. No. 427-18, § 10, 6-11-18)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-14 Rates and hours schedule.

Sec. 17-14. - Rates and hours schedule. A licensed medical vehicle service shall file with the manager of licensing and consumer protection a schedule of the current base rates and hours of availability of such licensee and shall file any change in the schedule prior to putting such change into effect. Such schedule shall be available for public inspection in the office of the manager of licensing and consumer protection during working hours; and the board may promulgate regulations requiring such licensees to distribute the schedule at such time and under such conditions as the board may deem necessary. (Code 1950, § 971.3-11; Ord. No. 1110-96, § 1, 12-16-96; Ord. No. 475-97, § 4, 7-21-97; Ord. No. 427-18, § 10, 6-11-18; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 9, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-15 Maintenance of requirements and qualifications.

Sec. 17-15. - Maintenance of requirements and qualifications. Every person licensed under this article shall be required to maintain and continue to meet all requirements and qualifications after being licensed; and every medical vehicle service shall continue to meet the requirements for vehicles being used as an emergency or nonemergency medical vehicle, and failure to do so shall be unlawful and shall constitute a violation of this article. (Code 1950, § 971.3-17)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-16 Prohibitions and requirements.

Sec. 17-16. - Prohibitions and requirements. (a) It shall be a violation of this Code to operate an emergency medical vehicle without emergency medical technicians, as required by the rules and regulations adopted under section 17-17 for the type of emergency medical vehicle being operated. (b) It shall be a violation of this Code for any person to render emergency medical services in connection with an emergency or nonemergency medical service or vehicle unless the person is: (1) Certified or licensed by the State of Colorado to render the services being performed; or (2) A resident or intern in a hospital educational program approved by the State of Colorado. (c) It shall be a violation of this Code for any person to permit the operation of a surface emergency medical vehicle except by a certified emergency medical technician or to permit a person not authorized under subsection (b) to render medical services in connection with an emergency medical vehicle. (d) It shall be a violation of this Code for any person to permit a person other than a licensed nonemergency medical vehicle operator or a certified emergency medical technician to operate a surface nonemergency medical vehicle. (e) It shall be a violation of this Code for any person to operate or permit to be operated a helicopter equipped and operating as an emergency medical vehicle without a person authorized under subsection (b) to render medical services being in attendance. (f) An emergency medical vehicle service operating in the city must comply with all ordinances and regulations, including zoning laws. (Code 1950, § 971.3-2(2), (4)—(7); Ord. No. 991-93, § 3, 12-6- 93; Ord. No. 475-97, § 5, 7-21-97)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-17 Standards, rules and regulations.

Sec. 17-17. - Standards, rules and regulations. The board shall adopt, and from time to time amend, standards, rules, and regulations for the implementation of the licensing and operation of emergency and nonemergency medical vehicles and services and for requirements pertaining to emergency medical technicians and nonemergency medical vehicle operators. (Code 1950, § 971.3-15; Ord. No. 991-93, § 4, 12-6-93; Ord. No. 1110-96, § 1, 12-16-96; Ord. No. 427-18, § 10, 6-11-18)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 17-18 Physician Advisor required.

Sec. 17-18. - Physician Advisor required. All emergency medical vehicle services operating in the city must have a physician advisor who is a physician licensed by the State of Colorado and under whose direction and supervision the emergency medical vehicle personnel will provide emergency care. The physician advisor shall be notified in writing by the manager, or the manager's authorized representative, of any violations of the ordinances or regulations promulgated pursuant to the ordinances by the emergency medical vehicle service or individual licensee. (Ord. No. 475-97, § 6, 7-21-97)

Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH17MEVESETRSE_ARTIIMEVESE_DIV1GEFetched: 10/27/2026