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A non-emergent lift assist fee will be assessed to licensed care facilities each time Raleigh Fire Department (RFD) personnel help pick up a subject that has fallen, and the resident has no apparent injuries or emergent medical needs.
A lift assist requires no additional medical evaluation or transport to an emergency room, only to lift the resident from one surface (i.e. the floor) to another (i.e. a bed or chair). The penalty charge is intended to be a disincentive for the practice of using publicly-funded emergency services to provide non-emergent assistance to a licensed care facility.
RFD personnel utilize Wake County EMS medical protocols to ensure that the subject passes a “Well Person Check” and does not need emergency medical services. Should the subject fail the “Well Person Check,” RFD personnel shall render medical care and shall have an ambulance dispatched as well.
Purpose
As the call volume of the department increases it has become necessary to discourage private businesses from relying on public emergency services for non-emergent work. When RFD personnel are at a long-term care facility performing a non-emergent lift assist, they are not available to respond for a true emergency.
Fees
The fee for non-emergent lift assistance is reviewed and approved as part of the annual budget process. The current fee amount is effective July 1 of each year through June 30 of the following year and can be found in the Development Fee Guide under Section II, Fire Department.
Licensed care facilities include skilled nursing facilities and adult family homes. Independent Living and private residences are exempt from this ordinance and are not subject to the penalty charge for non-emergent lift assistance.
| Facility Type | Fee | No Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Nursing Facility | X | |
| Adult Family Homes | X | |
| Independent Living Facility | X | |
| Private Residences | X |