<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 14-20. - Franchise required.</div>
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            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               No person, either as owner, agent or otherwise, shall furnish, operate, conduct, maintain,
               advertise, or otherwise be engaged in or profess to be engaged in providing emergency
               and/or nonemergency transportation services of patients by ambulance within the county
               unless the person holds a valid permit for each ambulance used in such business or
               service issued by the department, and has been granted a franchise for the operation
               of such business or service by the county pursuant to this article.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               No person, either as owner, agent or otherwise, shall furnish, operate, conduct, maintain,
               advertise, or otherwise be engaged in or profess to be engaged in the business or
               service of a medical first responder unless the person has been granted a franchise
               for the operation of such business or service by the county pursuant to this article.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               No person shall drive an ambulance, attend to a patient in one, or permit one to be
               operated when transporting a patient within the county unless he holds a currently
               valid certificate as a medical responder or EMT, as the case may be,
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               No franchise shall be required for:
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Any person rendering assistance to a franchised ambulance service in the case of a
               major catastrophe, mutual aid or emergency with which the services franchised by the
               county are insufficient or unable to cope;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Any entity operated from a location or headquarters outside of the county in order
               to transport patients who are picked up beyond the limits of the county to facilities
               located within the county or to pick up patients within the county for transporting
               to locations outside the county;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Ambulances owned and operated by an agency of the United States government;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (4)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               A law enforcement agency assisting any person in a life threatening situation;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (5)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               A medical first responder program provided by a franchisee.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. of 10-3-2011)
               </p>
            <p class="refstatelaw0" block_type="hang"><b>State Law referenceâ€” </b>
               State regulation of ambulance services, G.S. 131E-155 et seq.; Emergency Medical Services
               Act of 1973, G.S. 143-507 et seq.; county ambulance service franchise, G.S. 153A-250.
               </p></div>