A5653

An Act concerning basic life support ambulance services in municipalities, supplementing Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes, and amending P.L.1993, c.58.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. (New section) a. As used in this section:

“Basic life support ambulance” means an ambulance that is validly licensed by the Department of Health to provide basic life support service.

“Basic life support service” means a basic level of pre-hospital care performed in an ambulance including patient stabilization, airway clearance, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hemorrhage control, initial wound care and fracture stabilization, and other techniques and procedures authorized by the Commissioner of Health.

b. A municipality shall ensure operation of at least one basic life support ambulance for every 10,000 residents that reside within a municipality, and shall provide for no fewer than one basic life support ambulance regardless of whether the municipality has fewer than 10,000 residents. A municipality may fulfill the requirements of this section to ensure the operation of a requisite number of basic life support ambulances:

(1) by contract with a public, private, or nonprofit basic life support ambulance provider;

(2) by agreement for mutual first aid with another municipality pursuant to P.L.1993, c.58 (C.26:2K-61) or with a hospital pursuant to P.L.2015, c.70 (C.26:2K-21.2); or

(3) through a duly incorporated first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association that operates a basic life support ambulance services in the municipality.

c. A municipality may, by ordinance, establish, charge, and collect reasonable fees to recover costs incurred pursuant to this section.

d. The provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall not be construed to limit the number of basic life support ambulances or other types of ambulance services available within a municipality.

2. Section 2 of P.L.1993, c.58 (C.26:2K-61) is amended to read as follows:

2. The governing bodies of two or more municipalities may, by enacting reciprocal ordinances, enter into agreements with each other for mutual basic life support services, as that term is defined in section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad assistance in case of emergency, subject to the written approval of the volunteer basic life support services provider, and first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad or squads involved. The agreements may provide for:

a. Terms and conditions for payment by the municipality receiving assistance to the municipality rendering assistance for each member and each equipped basic life support services, or first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad apparatus for each hour supplied;

b. The reimbursement of the municipality or municipalities rendering assistance for any damage to basic life support services, or first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad equipment or other property and for payment to any member of a basic life support services provider, or first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad for injuries sustained while serving pursuant to such agreements, or to a surviving spouse or other dependent if death results; and

c. A joint meeting of the municipalities entering into such agreements regarding other matters as are mutually deemed necessary.

(cf: P.L.1993, c.58, s.2)

3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month after enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires a municipality to maintain a certain number of basic life support ambulances based upon the population of the municipality.

Under the bill, a municipality would be obligated to ensure the operation of at least one basic life support ambulance for every 10,000 residents. A municipality may provide for the requisite number of basic life support ambulances by contracting with a public, private, or nonprofit basic life support ambulance provider; through a shared services agreement with another municipality or hospital; or through a duly incorporated first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association that operates a basic life support ambulance services in the municipality. The bill also authorizes a municipality to charge and collect reasonable fees to recover costs incurred pursuant to the requirements of the bill. This bill does not limit the number of basic life support ambulances or other types of ambulance services available within a municipality.

This bill amends State law to permit a municipality to contract with another municipality for mutual basic life support services.

The bill is to take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.