Groves council raises EMS insurance minimums, sets tiered response penalties
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Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 2024-36 to update the city’s EMS code, increasing liability insurance minimums, introducing tiered fines for slow ambulance responses and adding language to allow transport by fire personnel under certain state-authorized circumstances.
Groves adopted an update to its emergency medical services ordinance on Dec. 20 that raises insurance requirements, clarifies transport authority in exigent circumstances and creates tiered penalties for extended ambulance response times.
A regional EMS representative explained the principal changes proposed in Ordinance 2024-36: the minimum liability coverage for a death or injury to one person rises from $500,000 to $1,000,000; coverage for bodily injury or death to two or more persons increases from $800,000 to $2,000,000. The ordinance aligns the city with broader state and national standards, the presenter said.
The ordinance also adds language reflecting Texas House Bill 642 to allow fire department personnel to use the most appropriate and safest means of transportation in cases of significant ambulance delay or other exigent circumstances. The presenter described tiered liquidated-damage penalties for delayed responses: for priority-1 calls a window (roughly 11 minutes to 24 minutes, etc.) carries escalating fines up to $1,000 per incident; priority-2 calls (nonemergency) now carry smaller maximum penalties (up to $750) where none existed previously.
Council members asked about how construction, unit availability and county-wide demand are considered; the presenter said appeals processes exist, the single mid-county Acadian provider often serves multiple cities, and long transport times to regional hospitals can extend unit out-of-service times. The presenter estimated several priority-1 response delays earlier in the year and said the tiered penalty schedule gives the city more enforcement "teeth" for unusually long responses.
Council adopted the ordinance as presented; staff said implementation will require updating permit language and coordinating with permitted providers and that the city will monitor response times and appeals under the new framework.