Bill Text: PA HB469 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for reimbursement to certain emergency services providers of the cost of responding to a request for emergency services on certain State-owned lands.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-6)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-18 - Referred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS [HB469 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB469-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 521
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 469 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY HANNA, BRENNAN, CARROLL, CAUSER, CREIGHTON, GEIST, GEORGE, GOODMAN, HESS, KORTZ, KOTIK, MAHONEY, MANN, O'NEILL, READSHAW, SIPTROTH, STABACK, THOMAS, WALKO AND YOUNGBLOOD, FEBRUARY 18, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 18, 2009
AN ACT
Providing for reimbursement to certain emergency services
providers of the cost of responding to a request for
emergency services on certain State-owned lands.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency
Services Provider Reimbursement Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources of the Commonwealth.
"Emergency communication center." An officially recognized
and approved Federal, State, county or municipal operation whose
purpose is to do all of the following:
(1) Receive emergency calls.
(2) Determine the appropriate agency, equipment and
vehicles required to respond to emergency calls.
(3) Dispatch the appropriate agency, equipment and
emergency vehicle or vehicles to the location of the
emergency situation, incident or event.
"Emergency services provider." A municipal, public, private
or nonprofit service whose purpose is to respond to emergency
situations, incidents and events and provide emergency or
nonemergency assistance and service to the public. The term
includes all of the following:
(1) A hazardous materials response unit, fire service,
ambulance, heavy and light rescue squad unit, quick response
unit and other related vehicle used in the normal operation
of an emergency service.
(2) A volunteer emergency service.
"Emergency situation, incident or event." Any of the
following:
(1) A disaster.
(2) A hazardous materials incident.
(3) A fire.
(4) Industrial or private security or fire alarm
systems.
(5) Industrial accidents.
(6) Auto accidents.
(7) Medical emergencies.
(8) Nonemergency calls for medical assistance.
(9) Any other situation, incident or event that does or
may present a potential danger and threat to the health and
safety of members of the public.
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"False alarm." A willfully fraudulent and intentional
transmission or request for a response by a volunteer emergency
services organization where the person making the transmission
or request knows there is no need for the transmission or
request. The term does not include a person transmitting or
requesting a response by a volunteer emergency services
organization who perceives or feels there could be or may be a
need for the transmission or request.
"Municipal emergency services department." A fire
department, ambulance service or rescue squad established,
operated and funded by the municipality.
"Officially recognized dispatch." Any of the following:
(1) The dispatch of a volunteer emergency services
organization by an officially recognized and approved
emergency communication center.
(2) A response to a special call or request from the
Pennsylvania State Police or local police whether it comes
through an emergency communication center or not.
"Person." The term includes a corporation, partnership,
business trust, other association, governmental entity other
than the Commonwealth, estate, trust, foundation or natural
person.
"State-owned land." Land that is owned or leased by or under
the control of the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources.
"Volunteer ambulance service." A nonprofit chartered
corporation, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth which is regularly engaged in the service of
providing emergency medical care and transportation of patients.
"Volunteer emergency service organization." An organization
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which is a volunteer fire company, volunteer ambulance service,
volunteer rescue squad or volunteer hazardous material response
team.
"Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered
organization, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth which provides fire protection services, including
fire police services, and other volunteer emergency service
within this Commonwealth. Volunteer emergency service provided
by a volunteer fire company may include volunteer ambulance and
volunteer rescue service.
"Volunteer hazardous material response team." A nonprofit
chartered corporation, association or organization located in
this Commonwealth whose members are specially trained to respond
to accidents or situations where hazardous or toxic materials
are released into the environment.
"Volunteer rescue squad." A nonprofit chartered corporation,
association or organization located in this Commonwealth which
provides rescue service in this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Reimbursement for emergency services responses.
(a) General rule.--The department shall pay to an emergency
services provider $225 for each time that the department
requests emergency services on State-owned land from the
emergency services provider and the emergency services provider
responds to the request.
(b) Procedures.--The department shall develop procedures by
which the department requests emergency services on State-owned
land from an emergency services provider and makes payment to
the emergency services provider under subsection (a).
(c) Payment.--The department shall reimburse an emergency
services provider under this act by making payment as follows:
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(1) To the volunteer emergency service organization that
responded.
(2) If a municipal emergency services department that
serves one municipality responded, to the municipality.
(3) If a municipal emergency services department that
serves more than one municipality responded, directly to the
municipal emergency services department.
Section 4. Certain municipalities exempt.
This act shall not apply to an agreement for the provision of
emergency services entered into between the department and an
emergency services provider on or before the effective date of
this section.
Section 5. Approval of response.
(a) Prerequisite.--A volunteer emergency services
organization that responds to a special call or request from the
Pennsylvania State Police or local police that has not come
through an officially recognized and approved emergency
communication center must be approved by an officially
recognized emergency communication center prior to responding to
the special call or request.
(b) Duties of emergency communication center.--Upon
notification by a volunteer emergency services organization of a
request for dispatch, the emergency communication center shall:
(1) Approve the response.
(2) Assign a dispatch number to the volunteer emergency
services organization.
(3) Contact the municipal emergency services department,
organization or person making the request to confirm the
request.
Section 6. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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