(a) Required. It shall be unlawful for any person, either as owner, agency or otherwise, to operate, conduct, advertise or engage in or profess to be engaged in the business or service of the transportation of patients upon the streets or any public way or place in the unincorporated territory of the County, except in conformance with a valid permit to do so issued by the Department.
(b) Exceptions. The equipment and personnel standards specified in this Chapter apply to all ambulance services; however, the licensing and permit requirements shall not apply to:
(1) Vehicles operated as ambulances at the request of local authorities during any “state of war emergency,” duly proclaimed “state of emergency” or “local emergency,” as defined in the California Emergency Services Act (Government Code Chapter 7 of Division I of Title 2), as amended; or
(2) Ambulances based in adjoining counties or states operating in the under serviced border areas of the County where the County Health Office has conducted an investigation to describe the service area, assure conformity with County policy and established a letter or agreement between the Department and appropriate regulatory agencies within the adjacent county or state. Such agreement shall contain a description of the service area.
