§ 46-81. Definitions

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in section 1-7 and this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning. Any other word, term and phrase used in this article shall have the meaning ascribed to them in F.S. § 401.23:

Alternative transportation services (ATS) means any privately owned service employing land, air or water vehicle that is designed, constructed, reconstructed, maintained, equipped or operated for, and is used for, or intended to be used for air, land or water transportation of persons who are confined to wheelchairs or stretchers, and whose condition is such that these persons do not need, nor are likely to need, immediate medical attention during transport. This service is also known as paratransit.

Certificate and COPCN means the certificate of public convenience and necessity to be required under this article and applicable state law.

Closest unit emergency medical response means the automatic dispatch of the closest available emergency medical services response vehicle to provide emergency medical services at an incident where an emergency medical condition exists, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

County means all incorporated or unincorporated areas within the territorial limits of Volusia County, Florida.

Credentialing means the process by which the medical director provides authorization to any person to act as a paramedic within the county emergency medical services system.

Emergency medical administration division (EMA or division) means the Volusia County Emergency Medical Administration Division, a division of the department of public protection.

Emergency medical condition means a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in any of the following:

(1)

Serious jeopardy to patient health.

(2)

Serious impairment to bodily functions.

(3)

Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

Emergency medical dispatch (EMD) means the medical director approved system of emergency call taking designed to determine appropriate response mode, dispatch the appropriate resources and level of services based on established criteria and provide pre-arrival emergency medical instructions to the caller until EMS arrives.

Emergency medical response means a response and arrival at the location of the incident to provide emergency medical services, as required by the responder's COPCN or this article, to any call type for which the emergency medical dispatcher determines that an emergency medical condition exists.

Emergency medical services (EMS) provider means any basic life support service, advanced life support service, or air ambulance service which engages in the business of providing emergency medical services.

Emergency medical services response vehicle means a vehicle equipped and staffed to meet the minimum requirements in accordance with F.S. ch. 401.

Emergency medical services system means the system in Volusia County which consists of all private and governmental basic life support services, advanced life support services, and 9-1-1 public safety answering points (PSAPs) which employ state certified emergency medical technicians, paramedics and emergency medical dispatchers who operate under the clinical supervision and direction of the county medical director.

Emergency medical technician (EMT) means a person certified by the department of health or the appropriate state agency who is authorized to perform basic life support, pursuant to the provisions of F.S. ch. 401.

Hospital means any establishment that is licensed under F.S. ch. 395 to:

(1)

Offer services more intensive than those required for room, board, personal services, and general nursing care, and offers facilities and beds for use beyond 24 hours by individuals requiring diagnosis, treatment, or care for illness, injury, deformity, infirmity, abnormality, disease or pregnancy; and

(2)

Regularly makes available at least clinical laboratory services, diagnostic X-ray services, and treatment facilities for surgery or obstetrical care, or other definitive medical treatment of similar extent.

Hospital campus means any continuous mass of land upon which commonly owned hospital buildings, that are used to provide hospital services, are situated and under the dominion and control of the licensed hospital facility.

Incident means an emergency at a defined location that has been reported to a public safety answering point (PSAP), whether reported by telephone (including cellular telephone), radios, personal observation of an emergency service provider, or any other method.

Medical director means a licensed physician, or a corporation dedicated to the provision of emergency medical services as defined in F.S. ch. 401, employed or provided under a written contract by the county to perform those duties specified in section 46-86. This term shall be synonymous with county medical director.

Medical advisory board means the board created by this article whose mission is to review and recommend regarding standards of care for the EMS system.

Operator means any person engaged in business as the owner, proprietor, or purchaser, of vehicles designed to transport nonemergency patients who are confined to a wheelchair or stretcher.

Paramedic means a person certified by the department of health or the appropriate state agency, who is authorized to perform basic and advanced life support, pursuant to the provisions of F.S. ch. 401.

Paratransit. See alternative transportation services (ATS).

Patient means any person who is in the need of emergency medical treatment and/or transportation as defined in the Volusia County pre-hospital standing orders and treatment protocols.

Pre-hospital care means the out of hospital provision of ALS or BLS treatment and/or transport services to a patient.

Pre-hospital standing orders and treatment protocols means the orders and protocols approved by the medical director directing the assessment, treatment and transport of adult and pediatric patients from first contact by an EMS provider.

Principal of record means the chief executive official of an EMS provider or ATS operator.

Public safety agency means a functional division of a public agency which provides firefighting, law enforcement, emergency medical or other emergency services.

Public safety answering point means a communications center designated to receive 9-1-1 calls.

Run card means the dispatch configuration defining the sequence of emergency medical response vehicles into a service area.

Service area, closest unit emergency medical response means the response area of an EMS provider designed to provide a closest unit response to emergency medical conditions, regardless of jurisdiction in accordance with the COPCN issued to that EMS provider.

Service area, primary means the jurisdictional geographic boundary of the EMS provider, including a county taxing district within a municipality or an area where an EMS provider is contractually obligated to serve as the primary provider of emergency medical services.

Unit hour means one hour of service by a fully staffed and equipped emergency medical services vehicle assigned to a call, or available for dispatch.

Unit hour utilization or UHU means a measurement of the efficient use of ambulance and emergency medical service resources. The UHU is calculated by dividing the number of patient transports or responses initiated during a given period of time by the number of unit hours produced during the same time period.

Vehicle includes aircraft, landcraft and watercraft.

(Ord. No. 2003-14, § III, 8-21-03; Ord. No. 2009-26, § I, 11-5-09; Ord. No. 2011-20, § II, 7-21-11)