§ 18-50. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Advanced life support (ALS) means treatment of life threatening medical emergencies through the use of techniques, including, but not limited to, endotracheal intubation, the administration of drugs, intravenous fluids, telemetry, cardiac monitoring and cardiac defibrillation by a paramedic as defined in F.A.C. ch. 64J-1.

Advanced life support vehicle means any state-licensed and permitted ambulance or emergency medical services vehicle which provides advanced life support services.

Air ambulance means any state-licensed and permitted fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft used for, or intended to be used for, air transportation of sick or injured persons requiring or likely to require medical attention during transport.

Air ambulance service means any publicly or privately owned service, licensed in accordance with the provisions of this article, which operates air ambulances to transport persons requiring or likely to require medical attention during transport.

Ambulance means any private or publicly owned air, land or water vehicle licensed by the state that is designed, constructed, reconstructed, maintained, equipped or operated and is used for, or intended to be used for, land or water transportation of sick or injured persons requiring or likely to require medical attention during transport.

Basic life support (BLS) means treatment of medical emergencies by a qualified person through the use of techniques such as patient assessment, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), splinting, obstetrical assistance, bandaging, administration of oxygen, application of medical antishock trousers, administration of a subcutaneous injection using a remeasured autoinjector of epinephrine to a person suffering an anaphylactic reaction and other techniques described in the Emergency Medical Technician Basic Training Course Curriculum of the United States Department of Transportation. The term "BLS" also includes other techniques which have been approved and are performed under conditions specified by the state department of health.

Certificate holder means any person named as owner, officer, director or shareholder on the application for certificate of public convenience and necessity.

Deficiency correction notice means a notice issued by the public safety director, or his designee, notifying a certificate holder of a deficiency or violation under this article and/or the certificate of public convenience and necessity and specifying a time period for correction.

Emergency medical call means any request for medical assistance or transportation that requires the immediate and prompt dispatch of the emergency medical services provider or any situation which requires the immediate and prompt provision of medical assistance or transportation to an emergency room.

Emergency medical services means the transportation and emergency treatment of persons who are in need of emergency medical attention from any location in the county under either a basic life support (BLS) license or an advanced life support (ALS) license issued pursuant to or applied for pursuant to F.S. § 401.25.

Emergency medical services advisory council means the advisory committee created by the board of county commissioners review and make recommendations to the board regarding applications to provide life support and wheelchair transport services as well as other matters related to the provision of such services in the county.

Emergency service provider means the sole provider of pre-hospital first response basic life support and advanced life support services holding a valid Class A certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the county.

Fire chief means the chief administrator of fire and emergency medical services of the county fire district charged with the responsibility and authority to supervise, direct and administer the Fire District's ALS and BLS service on an emergency first responder level countywide.

Inspection means the routine or periodic examination and audit of the records, personnel, vehicles and staffing of a certificate holder.

Inter-hospital transfer means the transportation of a patient requiring an ambulance with basic life support or advanced life support level of medical assistance between hospitals licensed under F.S. ch. 395.

Medical director means the licensed physician contracted pursuant to F.S. § 401.25 to give medical direction to, and establish medical protocols for, emergency medical services personnel, including paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

Non-emergency/interfacility transfer means the routine transfer of a patient between facilities licensed under F.S. ch. 395.

Non-emergency medical call means any request for medical assistance or transportation which does not require the immediate and prompt dispatch of the emergency medical services provider, and does not require transportation to an emergency room, unless authorized by the county fire district.

Patient means any person who is in need of, or may need, medical assistance or transportation.

Pre-hospital call means any basic life support or advanced life support transport to an emergency department.

Public safety director means the director of the county public safety department, charged with responsibility and authority to administer the certification of emergency medical services and non-emergency ALS and BLS and wheelchair transport services on behalf of the board of county commissioners.

Service area means the geographic area listed on a service provider's certificate of public convenience and necessity.

Transfer means the transportation of a patient by air, ground or water vehicle as a result of a request for response to a medical call.

Wheelchair vehicle means any privately or publicly owned land, air or water vehicle which is designed, constructed, reconstructed, maintained, equipped, operated, and which is used for, or intended to be used for, transportation of a person who is sitting in a wheelchair, and whose condition is such that the person does not require, or is not likely to require, medical attention during transport.

Wheelchair vehicle service means the transport of persons in a wheelchair vehicle when such persons are not in need of medical care during transport and are not likely to need medical care during transport.

(Code 1982, § 1-12.5-3; Ord. No. 96-04, pt. A, 2-20-1996; Ord. No. 08-011, pt. A, 3-15-2008)