Bill Text: PA HB687 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced


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: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-5)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-15 - Referred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS [HB687 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB687-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  692

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

687

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY HANNA, SAINATO, BRENNAN, CARROLL, CAUSER, CONKLIN, FABRIZIO, GEIST, GEORGE, GOODMAN, HESS, KULA, MANN, MIRABITO, MURT, READSHAW, STABACK AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 15, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 15, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Providing for reimbursement to certain emergency services

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providers of the cost of responding to a request for

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emergency services on certain State-owned lands.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Short title.

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This act shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency

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Services Provider Reimbursement Act.

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Section 2.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

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have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Department."  The Department of Conservation and Natural

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Resources of the Commonwealth.

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"Emergency communication center."  An officially recognized

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and approved Federal, State, county or municipal operation whose

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purpose is to do all of the following:

 


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(1)  Receive emergency calls.

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(2)  Determine the appropriate agency, equipment and

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vehicles required to respond to emergency calls.

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(3)  Dispatch the appropriate agency, equipment and

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emergency vehicle or vehicles to the location of the

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emergency situation, incident or event.

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"Emergency services provider."  A municipal, public, private

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or nonprofit service whose purpose is to respond to emergency

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situations, incidents and events and provide emergency or

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nonemergency assistance and service to the public. The term

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includes all of the following:

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(1)  A hazardous materials response unit, fire service,

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ambulance, heavy and light rescue squad unit, quick response

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unit and other related vehicle used in the normal operation

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of an emergency service.

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(2)  A volunteer emergency service.

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"Emergency situation, incident or event."  Any of the

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following:

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(1)  A disaster.

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(2)  A hazardous materials incident.

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(3)  A fire.

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(4)  Industrial or private security or fire alarm

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systems.

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(5)  Industrial accidents.

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(6)  Auto accidents.

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(7)  Medical emergencies.

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(8)  Nonemergency calls for medical assistance.

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(9)  Any other situation, incident or event that does or

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may present a potential danger and threat to the health and

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safety of members of the public.

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"False alarm."  A willfully fraudulent and intentional

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transmission or request for a response by a volunteer emergency

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services organization where the person making the transmission

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or request knows there is no need for the transmission or

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request. The term does not include a person transmitting or

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requesting a response by a volunteer emergency services

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organization who perceives or feels there could be or may be a

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need for the transmission or request.

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"Municipal emergency services department."  A fire

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department, ambulance service or rescue squad established,

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operated and funded by the municipality.

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"Officially recognized dispatch."  Any of the following:

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(1)  The dispatch of a volunteer emergency services

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organization by an officially recognized and approved

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emergency communication center.

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(2)  A response to a special call or request from the

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Pennsylvania State Police or local police whether it comes

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through an emergency communication center or not.

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"Person."  The term includes a corporation, partnership,

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business trust, other association, governmental entity other

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than the Commonwealth, estate, trust, foundation or natural

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person.

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"State-owned land."  Land that is owned or leased by or under

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the control of the Department of Conservation and Natural

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Resources.

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"Volunteer ambulance service."  A nonprofit chartered

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corporation, association or organization located in this

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Commonwealth which is regularly engaged in the service of

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providing emergency medical care and transportation of patients.

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"Volunteer emergency service organization."  An organization

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which is a volunteer fire company, volunteer ambulance service,

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volunteer rescue squad or volunteer hazardous material response

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team.

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"Volunteer fire company."  A nonprofit chartered

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organization, association or organization located in this

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Commonwealth which provides fire protection services, including

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fire police services, and other volunteer emergency service

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within this Commonwealth. Volunteer emergency service provided

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by a volunteer fire company may include volunteer ambulance and

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volunteer rescue service.

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"Volunteer hazardous material response team."  A nonprofit

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chartered corporation, association or organization located in

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this Commonwealth whose members are specially trained to respond

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to accidents or situations where hazardous or toxic materials

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are released into the environment.

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"Volunteer rescue squad."  A nonprofit chartered corporation,

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association or organization located in this Commonwealth which

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provides rescue service in this Commonwealth.

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Section 3.  Reimbursement for emergency services responses.

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(a)  General rule.--The department shall pay to an emergency

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services provider $225 for each time that the department

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requests emergency services on State-owned land from the

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emergency services provider and the emergency services provider

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responds to the request.

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(b)  Procedures.--The department shall develop procedures by

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which the department requests emergency services on State-owned

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land from an emergency services provider and makes payment to

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the emergency services provider under subsection (a).

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(c)  Payment.--The department shall reimburse an emergency

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services provider under this act by making payment as follows:

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(1)  To the volunteer emergency service organization that

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responded.

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(2)  If a municipal emergency services department that

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serves one municipality responded, to the municipality.

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(3)  If a municipal emergency services department that

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serves more than one municipality responded, directly to the

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municipal emergency services department.

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Section 4.  Certain municipalities exempt.

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This act shall not apply to an agreement for the provision of

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emergency services entered into between the department and an

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emergency services provider on or before the effective date of

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this section.

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Section 5.  Approval of response.

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(a)  Prerequisite.--A volunteer emergency services

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organization that responds to a special call or request from the

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Pennsylvania State Police or local police that has not come

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through an officially recognized and approved emergency

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communication center must be approved by an officially

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recognized emergency communication center prior to responding to

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the special call or request. 

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(b)  Duties of emergency communication center.--Upon

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notification by a volunteer emergency services organization of a

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request for dispatch, the emergency communication center shall:

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(1)  Approve the response.

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(2)  Assign a dispatch number to the volunteer emergency

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services organization.

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(3)  Contact the municipal emergency services department,

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organization or person making the request to confirm the

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request.

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Section 6.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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