OAR 333-255-0060: Ground Ambulance Vehicle Construction Criteria for Licensure

(1) As used in this rule "ground ambulance vehicle" means a ground ambulance vehicle constructed by an ambulance vehicle manufacturer that is not a remount. (2) (a) An ambulance service seeking to timely renew a current ambulance vehicle license is not subject to the requirements of section (3) and (8) of this rule. (b) To qualify for renewal, a currently licensed ambulance vehicle must continue to comply with the standards in place at the time of its construction or at the time the vehicle was remounted. (3) A ground ambulance vehicle must be: (a) Certified by the manufacturer as meeting the construction criteria in place at the time of the vehicle's construction; and (b) Constructed under and meet one of the following criteria: (A) For ground ambulance vehicles constructed between June 1, 2002 and July 31, 2007, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), June 1, 2002, Federal Specification for the Star-of-Life Ambulance Certification standards (KKK-A-1822E); (B) For ground ambulance vehicles constructed between August 1, 2007 and June 30, 2016, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), August 1, 2007, Federal Specification for the Star-of-Life Ambulance Certification standards (KKK-A-1822F); (C) For ground ambulance vehicles constructed between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2022: (i) The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), Ground Vehicle Standard (GVS) for Ambulances, v.1.0 Edition, July 1, 2016, or v.2.0 Edition, July 1, 2019; or (ii) The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard for Automotive Ambulances, NFPA 1917, 2016 Edition or 2019 Edition; (D) For ground ambulance vehicles constructed on or after July 1, 2022: (i) The CAAS, GVS, v.2.0 Edition, July 1, 2019 or v. 3.0 Edition, July 1, 2022; or (ii) The NFPA, Standard for Automotive Ambulances, NFPA 1917, 2019 Edition, or the NFPA, Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicles, Automotive Fire Apparatus, Wildland Fire Apparatus, and Automotive Ambulances, NFPA 1900, 2024 Edition. (4) A licensed ambulance service must have a ground ambulance vehicle that meets the construction standards specified in paragraph (3)(b)(A) of this rule inspected by an Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) certified by the EVT Certification Commission as an ambulance technician. The licensed ambulance service must obtain documentation from the EVT that the ambulance is in good operating condition and meets minimum safety requirements. (5) A licensed ambulance service that remounts a licensed ground ambulance vehicle must apply for a new ambulance vehicle license prior to operating the remounted vehicle. (6)(a) An ambulance manufacturer, a vehicle modifier, a remount center, or ambulance service agency with an established in-house remount program must be registered with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and meet the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. (b) The Oregon Health Authority (Authority) may require any organization identified in subsection (6)(a) of this rule completing a remount to provide a notarized statement that the structural integrity of the specific patient compartment was not compromised during the remounting and must provide a Final Stage Vehicle Manufacturing Certificate of Compliance. (7)(a) A licensed ambulance service may establish an in-house remount program by obtaining the necessary training, appropriate equipment, facilities, and registration with NHTSA to remount a vehicle to the described standard. (b) An in-house remount program must be registered with the CAAS in order to remount a ground ambulance vehicle in accordance with the CAAS remount standards. (8)(a) The Authority shall only approve an application for a remounted ground ambulance vehicle if the remounted ground ambulance vehicle complies with: (A) CAAS, GVS, v.2.0 Edition, Section F, dated July 1, 2019, incorporated by reference; (B) CAAS, GVS, v.3.0 Edition, Section F, dated July 1, 2022, incorporated by reference; (C) NFPA 1917, 2019 Edition, Chapter 10, incorporated by reference; or (D) NFPA 1900, 2024 Edition, Chapter 34, incorporated by reference. (b) The remounted ground ambulance vehicle shall show evidence of the CAAS GVS remount standard compliance sticker, or the NFPA 1917 or NFPA 1900 certification and payload. Documentation showing that the NFPA 1917 or NFPA 1900 remount standards have been met may be substituted for the NFPA 1917 or NFPA 1900 certification and payload. (c) The licensed ambulance service shall maintain appropriate documentation confirming compliance with the applicable remount standard specified in this rule. (9) The Authority may approve an application for a remounted ambulance vehicle that does not meet the requirements under subsection (8)(a) of this rule if: (a) The vehicle was remounted between June 1, 2002 and June 30, 2022; (b) The patient care compartment was originally manufactured on or after November 1, 1994, and there is documentation that supports that the patient compartment was manufactured on or after November 1, 1994; and (c) The vehicle is inspected by a certified EVT who provides the ambulance service agency with documentation that the ambulance is in good operating condition and meets minimum safety requirements. (d) The licensed ambulance service that obtains a license for an ambulance vehicle under this rule shall maintain appropriate documentation confirming compliance with this rule. (10)(a) The Authority may license a ground ambulance vehicle that is constructed with an exception(s) to the standards in section (3) of this rule or license a ground ambulance vehicle that has been remounted with an exception(s) to the standards in section (8) of this rule if the Authority determines that the exception(s) to the construction standards do not affect patient or emergency medical services (EMS) provider safety. (b) The Authority may review exceptions to construction standards at each renewal cycle to determine whether patient or EMS provider safety is jeopardized. (11) A ground ambulance vehicle must have an exterior color, emblems, and markings that ensure the prompt recognition of that vehicle as an ambulance. All ground ambulance vehicles must be clearly identified by appropriate emblems and markings on the front, side, roof, and rear of the vehicle. (12) Each licensed ground ambulance vehicle shall display the following emblems and terms in the location(s) specified: (a) "Star-of-Life" emblem: Shall comply with the specifications adopted by the US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (A) Sides — a 12 to 16-inch emblem must be located on the left and right side-panels; and (B) Roof — a 32-inch emblem must be located on the roof. (b) The word "AMBULANCE": (A) Front — centered, in block letters, not less than four inches high, must be in mirror image and centered above the grille; and (B) Rear — in block letters of not less than six inches in height and centered on the rear door panels or an approved alternative. (C) Acceptable alternatives for the word "AMBULANCE" include generic terms that do not connote any particular level of service, limited to "MEDIC UNIT," "FIRE MEDIC UNIT," "EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES," or "EMS UNIT". (c) Service name or logo that matches the service name on the application must be visible on the vehicle exterior in a location that does not interfere with the term "AMBULANCE" or the "Star-of-Life" emblem; (13) A licensed ground ambulance vehicle may not display on its exterior any level of service which is not provided at all times when that ground ambulance vehicle is in operation.