[Adopted by Executive Order 12-08; amended in its entirety
by Bill No. 23-013]
A.
There is hereby created the Department of Emergency Services pursuant
to Sections 402 and 413 of the Charter of Harford County, Maryland,
which shall be in the Executive Branch of the County government. As
provided for herein, emergency services shall not include law enforcement
agencies.
B.
The Department shall be administered by a Director of Emergency Services.
The Director shall have comprehensive knowledge of fire prevention
and suppression, rescue services, emergency medical services, communications
and other aspects of public safety. The Director shall have had at
least 5 years of managerial experience in fire or emergency medical
service. The Director shall be appointed solely on the basis of qualifications
for the duties and responsibilities of the office. The Director shall
be a resident of Harford County, shall be appointed by the County
Executive, confirmed by the County Council and serve at the pleasure
of the County Executive.
C.
The Director shall coordinate with and support the Harford County
Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services Association, Inc., on
issues regarding fire, Rescue, and emergency medical services.
D.
The Department of Emergency Services shall be responsible for the
oversight of the affairs of the County in:
(1)
Providing a high quality of Fire/Rescue protection, prevention, suppression,
training and quality assurance.
(2)
Providing a high quality Emergency medical services delivery, training
and quality assurance.
(3)
Volunteer fire company government funding, support and coordination.
(4)
All other aspects of Emergency Services.
E.
Upon establishment of the Department of Emergency Services, Section 9-200 of the Harford County Code, as amended, shall hereby be abolished and the powers and duties provided for in Section 9-201 of the Code shall merge into the Department of Emergency Services.
F.
The Director shall have such other and further duties as may be provided
for from time to time by direct order of the County Executive or by
legislative act of the Council, not inconsistent with this Act.
G.
County ambulance service.
(1)
To defray the cost of ambulance services provided in the County,
an individual who is transported to a hospital and billed by the County,
shall pay a charge as follows:
(a)
Equal to 175% of the Medicare allowable amount for such transportation.
(b)
The charge shall increase or decrease as the Medicare allowable
amount changes over time.
(c)
If any type of medical care or service is provided at the time
of ambulance service and there is no comparable Medicare allowable
charge for said service, the Director of Emergency Services and the
Treasurer shall determine the applicable charge.
(2)
If an individual is not covered by insurance, these charges may be
waived upon a determination by the Director of the Department of Emergency
Services and the Treasurer that the individual is not covered by health
insurance or that the individual's insurance does not treat the
charge as a covered medical cost and the individual is not able to
pay the charge. The County shall not question an individual about
the ability to pay the ambulance service charge at the time service
is requested or provided or fail to provide said service because of
the individual's perceived or actual inability to pay the charge.
