Keansburg introduces ordinance to charge $750 fee when volunteers dispatched to non-emergency calls by care facilities

On Oct. 16 the Keansburg Borough Council introduced Ordinance #1735, a first-reading ordinance that would require state-licensed patient care facilities (e.g., nursing homes, assisted-living facilities) to contract with private ambulance providers for non-emergency transports and would impose a $750 dispatch fee when a volunteer first-aid squad is sent to a non-emergency call.

The ordinance establishes that patient care facilities must demonstrate availability of private ambulance services (365 days per year, 24/7) by filing proof with the Borough Clerk within 60 days after final passage and on or before Sept. 1 each year thereafter; proof may be contracts with at least two private ambulance providers or, if the facility operates its own ambulance, documentation of the vehicle(s) and staffing. Failure to comply can result in an ordinance violation with fines up to $1,000 for the facility or responsible officer.

Paragraph (e) of the proposed section states that if a patient care facility’s action results in dispatch of volunteer first aid squads and the responding squad determines in its sole discretion that an advanced life support or paramedic unit was not required, the borough may assess a $750 volunteer Emergency Medical Services dispatch fee payable to the Borough of Keansburg; fee revenue may be contributed to volunteer squads consistent with local code.

The ordinance was introduced and set for a Nov. 13, 2024 public hearing. During the open public comment period a resident asked for details about this ordinance; minutes state staff will post the ordinances on the borough website before the next meeting. The measure is modeled, according to the minutes, on Holmdel Township’s approach to limiting non-emergency use of volunteer squads.