10a ncac 13p .0224       GROUND AMbulance vehicle manufacturing standards

(a)  In addition to the terms defined in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter, the following definitions apply to this Rule:

(1)           "Remounted" means a ground ambulance patient compartment module that has been removed from its original chassis and mounted onto a different chassis.

(2)           "Refurbished" means upgrading or repairing an existing ground ambulance patient care module or chassis that may not involve replacement of the chassis.

(b)  "Ground ambulances" as defined in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter manufactured after July 1, 2018, or remounted after July 1, 2025, that are based and operated in North Carolina shall meet one of the following manufacturing standards:

(1)           the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) "Ground Vehicle Standard for Ambulances, which is incorporated herein by reference including all subsequent amendments and editions. This document is available online at no cost at www.groundvehiclestandard.org; or

(2)           the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1917-2016 "Standard for Automotive Ambulances," which is incorporated herein by reference including all subsequent amendments and editions. This document is available for purchase online at www.nfpa.org for a cost of seventy-eight dollars ($78.00).

(c)  The following shall be exempt from the criteria set forth in Paragraph (b) of this Rule:

(1)           ambulances owned and operated by an agency of the United States government;

(2)           ambulances manufactured prior to July 1, 2018;

(3)           ambulances remounted prior to July 1, 2025;

(4)           "convalescent ambulances" as defined in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter;

(5)           refurbished ambulances; or

(6)           Medical Ambulance/Evacuation/Bus as set forth in Rule .0217 of this Section.

(d)  Effective July 1, 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) KKK-A-1822F- Ambulance Manufacturing Standard shall no longer meet the manufacturing standards for new ground ambulances as set forth in Paragraph (b) of the Rule.

(e)  Ground ambulances that do not meet the criteria set forth in this Rule shall be ineligible for permitting as set forth in Rule .0211 of this Section.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131E-156; 131E-157; 143-508(d)(8);

Eff. January 1, 2018;

Amended Eff. April 1, 2024.