Source: https://www.ecode360.com/27119059
Timestamp: 2020-02-20 08:49:59
Document Index: 401403758

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 163', '§ 163', '§ 163', '§ 163', '§ 163', '§ 163']

City of Washington, PA Fire and Emergency Services
Ch 163 Art I Reimbursement for Services
§ 163-1 Authority to bill.
§ 163-2 Authority to establish charges.
§ 163-3 Third-party billing.
§ 163-4 Recovery of fire service fees.
§ 163-5 Procedure.
§ 163-6 Schedule of fire services fees.
Chapter 163 Fire and Emergency Services
Ambulance services — See Ch. 102.
Fire Code — See Ch. 130, Art. I.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 168.
Municipal claims — See Ch. 208.
Article I Reimbursement for Services
[Adopted 5-8-2008 by Ord. No. 1798]
The City shall have the authority to bill both private persons and entities, including insurance companies that provide insurance coverage to said private persons and entities, for the reasonable costs that are related to the use, loss, damage and wear and tear to said apparatus, tools, equipment and materials necessary to provide the fire services and 911 response rendered to said persons and entities, subject to the conditions and limitations of this article.
The City shall have the authority to establish uniform charges, referred to herein as "fire service fees," through the City Council's approval, to be utilized by the fire departments of the City of Washington. The City may amend such charges from time to time with the Council's approval.
The City is authorized, if it so deems necessary, to establish a third-party billing-and-revenue-recovery contract with a professional services company, hereinafter referred to as an "authorized agent," qualified to bill and recover the uniform charges and with established valid reputation in recovering such charges.
Fees shall be recovered by the authorized agent for services provided by the fire departments authorized to operate within the City of Washington. Fire department administrations shall utilize applicable incident report information provided to the authorized agent as the basis for the charge and recovery of fire service fees for each incident in the City authorizing such billing.
The City, or its authorized agent, subject to the conditions and limitations of this article, shall submit an invoice to the person, entity or relevant insurance company covering the particular loss for the emergency services rendered. If it can be reliably determined that there is no insurance coverage for a particular emergency incident which causes the City of Washington to use, or incur loss, damage and wear and tear to apparatus, tools, equipment, and materials, the City may recover any such fees from the person or entity that received said emergency services or the person or entity responsible for the debts and obligations of the person or entity that received such emergency services, again subject to the following conditions and limitations:
For residential property fire incidents, residential property owners of the City of Washington receiving emergency services rendered by a fire department are hereby exempt from the fire services fees and revenue recovery plan outlined herein. If the residential property owner has insurance and a claim is filed, a notice shall be sent to the residential property owner indicating a claim shall be filed. An additional notice shall be sent to the residential property owner indicating whether or not the claim shall be paid. All notices sent to residential property owners shall include the following text, stated in capitalized, bold type: THIS IS NOT A BILL. PLEASE DO NOT REMIT FUNDS IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.
For commercial property fire incidents, commercially operated or zoned property shall not be eligible for any exemption to the fire service fees and revenue recovery plan included herein. Commercial property owners shall respond freely and cooperatively to fire service inquiries regarding their fire insurance coverage. Commercial property owners shall be notified at the time a claim is filed and at the time a claim is paid. Commercial property owners shall be invoiced directly under the terms of this article if they do not carry fire insurance sufficient to cover the impact to the City of Washington's loss of capital or material.
The following fees shall be assessed and collected for the use of the apparatus, tools, equipment and materials:
Engine - Class A
Per aerial
Per tanker/tender
Rescue (heavy) - SERT/TRT
Per SERT/TRT
Battalion Chief/Shift Commander
Per command unit
The minimum usage charge for any item in this list is one hour, and for any additional hours or portions thereof, the charge will be prorated using 1/4-hour increments.
Support units include, but are not limited to, mobile command posts, air trailers, light trailers, generator trucks and rehab units.
Price is based on unit of measure and may be based on minimum usage charge.
Hazardous Material Supplies/Consumables
Absorbent — bag
Absorbent — pads
Absorbent — broom
Gas plug kit
Gas multimeter
Ferrazyme
Microblaze (quart)
Microblaze (5-gallon)
Level B suit - Tyvek
Turnout gear - Decon
MVA - scene control only
The minimum usage charge for any item in this list is one hour, and for any additional hours or portion thereof, the charges will be prorated using 1/4-hour increments.
NOTE: No person shall place reliance on any charges authorized or specified herein as guaranteed recoverable revenue, in that such charges are subject to governing insurance laws which may change from time to time and are subject to discretionary rulings or waivers in individual special needs cases, where such authorization is granted to the Fire Department.