HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance - 1052-1950 - Regulating The Use Of The Streets By Ambulance Operators. - 12/28/1950... __... ... ~)
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W;HEREAS, no adequate regulation of ambulance service in responding
to emergency calls i,s in effect in the City of Lubbock, which condition has
resulted in excessive and indiscriminate use of the streets by high-speed
ambulance service and in the interest of public safety it is necessary to cause
an orderly and safer response by all ambulance service to such calls,
THEREFORE, ~
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY C::OMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
LUBBOCK:
SECTION 1. For the purpose of this Ordinance the following terms are
hereby defined as follows: ·
(a) "Current Undertaker" shall mean the undertaking
establishment designated by lot to render ambulance
service on the streets of Lubbock for a calendar month
then pending.
(b) "Emergency Dispatcheru referred to herein shall
be the person or persons designated by the Chief of .
Police of the City of Lubbock,. who shall be available
by telephone at all hours at Police Headquarters of
the City of Lubbock.
(c) "Emergency Calls" shall be held to mean any and all calls and requests for ambulance service on account
of circumstances which are, or are represented to be,
such as come within the general definition of the term
of "emergency," whether such call be transmitted by a ·
private individual, by telephone or in person, or by
radio or otherwise.
SECTION 2. The Chief of Police shall determine by a lot the "current
undertaker" for the month of January, 1951, and for each calendar month
thereafter until all undertaking establishments in Lubbock have been assigned,
and thereafter the designation of "current undertaker" shall be rotated
according to the original lot. designation.
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SECTION 3. PERMISSION TO BE SECURED BEFORE Eti{ERGENCY
CALL ANSWERED. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
drive or operate any ambulance on the streets of the City of Lubbock on an emer-
gency call, without first having called Emergency Dispatcher of the City of
Lubbock and having received pernrlssion from said dispatcher to make said
emergency call.
SECTION 4. Upon receipt of any emergency call, the Emergency Dis-
patcher at the Police Headquarters shall authori~e and direct the •tcurrent
undertaker" to make said call and shall inform all persons subsequently report-
ing said call that the emergency call is already being made and responded to by
the ''current undertake~" PROVIDEO in cases where additional ambulances are
needed, the Emergency Dispatcher shall authorize the making of such call by
such other ambulances as are needed.
SECTION 5. DUTY OF POLI~EMAN.., ETC.,. FINDING UNCLAIMED
BODIES: It shall be the duty of every Police Officer or Fire Officer of the
City of Lubbock, upon finding an unclaimed dead body anywhere in the city
limits, to report such fact to the Emergency Disptacher who, in turn, shall
notify the 11current undertaker11 to take charge of said body for disposition, as
~\provided by law. ~
-~ SECTION 6. Any person who sh~ll violate any of the provisions of this
( Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, fined in any
sum not mo!e lhan $ZOO. 00.
SECTION 6A. The provisions of this Ordinance shallil.l)t apply to calls
for ambulance service where the emergency arises within private residences,
places of business, or other private property.
SECTION 7. In the event any section, any part or phrase of this
Ordi~ance is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such declara-
tion shall not affect the remaining parts of this O~dinance.
SECTION 8. The excessive and indiscriminate use of the streets by
ambulances in responding to emergency calls without regulation being unsafe
and detrimental to safe use of the streets by operators of motor vehicles and
pedestrians creates an ~mergency, requiring that all rules be suspended and that
this Ordinance take effect on January 1, 1951, and thereafter followed according
to its terms; provided, however, that the City Secretary shall cause the same
to be J?Ublished, as provided for other penal ordinances.
1950.
Passed cytd approved on the first reading this ~ 28 day of December,
Passed and approved on the second reading this 11th day of January
1951 • ; -
ATTEST:
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