(A) The board of trustees of a joint ambulance district shall provide for the employment of such employees as it considers best, and shall fix their compensation. Such employees shall continue in office until removed as provided by sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. To initiate removal proceedings, and for such purpose, the board shall designate a private citizen to investigate the conduct and prepare the necessary charges in conformity with sections 733.35 to 733.39 of the Revised Code. The board may pay reasonable compensation to such person for the person's services.

In case of the removal of an employee of the district, an appeal may be had from the decision of the board to the court of common pleas of the county in which such district, or part of it, is situated, to determine the sufficiency of the cause of removal. Such appeal from the findings of the board shall be taken within ten days.

(B) As used in this division, "emergency medical service organization" has the same meaning as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.

(1) In order to obtain the services of ambulance service organizations, to obtain additional services from ambulance service organizations in times of emergency, or to obtain the services of emergency medical service organizations, a district may enter into a contract, for a period not to exceed three years, with one or more townships, municipal corporations, joint fire districts, nonprofit corporations, any other governmental unit that provides ambulance services or emergency medical services, or with private ambulance owners, regardless of whether such townships, municipal corporations, joint fire districts, nonprofit corporations, governmental unit, or private ambulance owners are located within or without this state, upon such terms as are agreed to, to furnish or receive services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations or the interchange of services from ambulance or emergency medical service organizations within the several territories of the contracting subdivisions, if such contract is first authorized by all boards of trustees and legislative authorities concerned.

The contract may provide for a fixed annual charge to be paid at the times agreed upon and stipulated in the contract, or for compensation based upon a stipulated price for each run, call, or emergency, or the elapsed time of service required in such run, call, or emergency, or any combination thereof.

(2) Expenditures of a district for the services of ambulance service organizations or emergency medical service organizations, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise, are lawful expenditures, regardless of whether the district or the party with which it contracts charges additional fees to users of the services.

(3) A district's board of trustees, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, may choose to have the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services license any emergency medical service organization the district operates. If a board adopts such a resolution, Chapter 4766. of the Revised Code, except for sections 4766.06 and 4766.99 of the Revised Code, applies to the district emergency medical service organization. All rules adopted under the applicable sections of that chapter also apply to the organization. A board, by adoption of an appropriate resolution, may remove the district emergency medical service organization from the jurisdiction of the state board of emergency medical, fire, and transportation services.

(C) Ambulance services or emergency medical services rendered for a joint ambulance district under this section and section 505.71 of the Revised Code shall be deemed services of the district. These sections do not authorize suits against a district or any township or municipal corporation providing or receiving, or contracting to provide or receive, such services under these sections for damages for injury or loss to persons or property or for wrongful death caused by persons providing such services.

Amended by OHIO Acts of the 130th General Assembly File No. 7, HB 51, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2013.

Effective Date: 03-09-2004 .