§ 54-62. EMS authority, duties and responsibilities.

(a)

The EMS authority shall provide the county with basic life support and advanced life support ambulance service, such service to comply with all applicable state laws and rules, as well as all rules, regulations, standards and response times as the EMS authority or the medical control board may from time to time promulgate.

(b)

The EMS authority shall provide such ambulance service by the award of a contract to a provider after a competitive request for proposal process. Such competitive request for proposals shall be conducted for the selection of a contractor no less frequently than every 11 years. The contract awarded to the contractor shall require the contractor to provide all ambulance services in Pinellas County, except for those exempted in section 54-59 of this article.

(c)

The EMS authority shall set and adjust an approved rate schedule. The approved rate schedule shall be uniform throughout the county and shall be applicable regardless of whether the transport for which a fee is charged is performed by the contractor or by a first responder.

(d)

The EMS authority shall implement a subscription membership program, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

(e)

The EMS authority shall determine reasonable and customary costs for provision of EMS services in the county, including first responder services. As part of that determination process, the authority shall promulgate rules and regulations which recite the policies for funding the provision of first responder services. Such rules and regulations shall set forth the complete standardized first responder agreement which has been prepared for presentation to all first responders. They shall also contain a provision offering each existing municipal or independent special fire control district first responder the annual option to continue operating under its standardized first responder agreement, subject to the annually revised compensation level, and a provision that if such existing first responder elects not to exercise its option to continue operating at the new compensation level, the authority shall determine the authority's costs of alternative methods of providing first responder services. In the event that such alternative method of providing first responder services exceeds the level of funding provided in the standardized agreement, the authority shall offer to the municipal or independent special fire control district first responder service which refused to continue operating under its first responder agreement a right of first refusal to provide first responder services at the alternative cost level as determined by the authority under this subsection. Provided, however, that this right of first refusal shall apply to the proffered agreement in its entirety, and shall not apply to selected first responder stations or units within the provider's jurisdiction.

(f)

The EMS authority shall issue certificates of public convenience and necessity to providers.

(g)

The EMS authority shall be responsible for hiring a medical director.

(Ord. No. 88-12, § 5, 5-3-88; Ord. No. 91-12, § 4, 2-26-91; Ord. No. 16-51, § 4, 10-11-16)