<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 20-32. - Permit 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 the business or service
               of the transportation of patients within the county unless the person holds a valid
               permit for each ambulance used in such business or service as required by G.S. 131E-155.1
               et seq. 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)
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            <p class="content1">
               No individual shall drive, attend or permit a vehicle to be operated for ambulance
               or rescue vehicle purposes within the county unless this individual holds a currently
               valid certificate as required by G.S. 131E-159.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               No franchise shall be required for and the provision of this article shall not apply
               to the following entities; however, such entities must comply with all applicable
               state and local laws relating to health, sanitation, safety, equipment, ambulance
               design, and all other laws and ordinances:
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Any entity rendering assistance to a franchised ambulance service in the case of a
               major catastrophe or emergency with which the ambulance 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, but no such
               entity shall be used to pick up patients within the county for transporting to locations
               within the county unless it is rendering assistance as referred to in subsection (a)
               of this section.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Law enforcement personnel.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (4)
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            <p class="content2">
               All municipalities within the county.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (5)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Any emergency medical facility operating a critical care program utilizing category
               III and/or category IV ambulances.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (6)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Any ambulance service operated from a location or headquarters inside the county for
               the purpose of responding to on-site industrial accidents which may result in the
               nonemergency transport of a patient to an emergency medical facility within the county.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Code 1978, Â§ 6-20)
               </p></div>