1. The health authority may issue a permit for:

(a) The operation of an ambulance or an air ambulance; or

(b) The operation of a vehicle of a fire-fighting agency:

(1) At the scene of an emergency; and

(2) To provide community paramedicine services, but only if the holder of the permit has obtained an endorsement on the permit to provide such services pursuant to NRS 450B.1993.

2. Each permit must be evidenced by a card issued to the holder of the permit.

3. No permit may be issued unless the applicant is qualified pursuant to the regulations of the board.

4. An application for a permit must be made upon forms prescribed by the board and in accordance with procedures established by the board, and must contain the following:

(a) The name and address of the owner of the ambulance or air ambulance or of the fire-fighting agency;

(b) The name under which the applicant is doing business or proposes to do business, if applicable;

(c) A description of each ambulance, air ambulance or vehicle of a fire-fighting agency, including the make, year of manufacture and chassis number, and the color scheme, insigne, name, monogram or other distinguishing characteristics to be used to designate the applicant’s ambulance, air ambulance or vehicle;

(d) The location and description of the places from which the ambulance, air ambulance or fire-fighting agency intends to operate; and

(e) Such other information as the board deems reasonable and necessary to a fair determination of compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

5. The board shall establish a reasonable fee for annual permits.

6. All permits expire on July 1 following the date of issue, and are renewable annually thereafter upon payment of the fee required by subsection 5 at least 30 days before the expiration date.

7. The health authority shall:

(a) Revoke, suspend or refuse to renew any permit issued pursuant to this section for violation of any provision of this chapter or of any regulation adopted by the board; or

(b) Bring an action in any court for violation of this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter,

only after the holder of a permit is afforded an opportunity for a public hearing pursuant to regulations adopted by the board.

8. The health authority may suspend a permit if the holder is using an ambulance, air ambulance or vehicle of a fire-fighting agency which does not meet the minimum requirements for equipment as established by the board pursuant to this chapter.

9. In determining whether to issue a permit for the operation of an air ambulance pursuant to this section, the health authority:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), may consider the medical aspects of the operation of an air ambulance, including, without limitation, aspects related to patient care; and

(b) Shall not consider economic factors, including, without limitation, factors related to the prices, routes or nonmedical services of an air ambulance.

10. The issuance of a permit pursuant to this section or NRS 450B.210 does not authorize any person or governmental entity to provide those services or to operate any ambulance, air ambulance or vehicle of a fire-fighting agency not in conformity with any ordinance or regulation enacted by any county, municipality or special purpose district.

11. A permit issued pursuant to this section is valid throughout the State, whether issued by the Division or a district board of health. An ambulance, air ambulance or vehicle of a fire-fighting agency which has received a permit from the district board of health in a county whose population is 700,000 or more is not required to obtain a permit from the Division, even if the ambulance, air ambulance or vehicle of a fire-fighting agency has routine operations outside the county.

12. The Division shall maintain a central registry of all permits issued pursuant to this section, whether issued by the Division or a district board of health.

13. The board shall adopt such regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 1144; A 1977, 71; 1981, 279; 1985, 1697; 1987, 2212; 1991, 1916; 1993, 2834; 1995, 2548; 2005, 2473; 2011, 1271; 2013, 618; 2015, 651)