HomeMy WebLinkAbout27- Council CITY OF SAN BERT IRDINO - REQUEST 311 COUNCIL ACTION
From: Peggy Ducey, Assistant to the Subject: Proposed City Fire Department
City Adminstrator Emergency Transport Services
Oept:
Adminstration
Date:
July 23 , 1993
Synopsis of Previous Council action:
July 19 , 1993 - Mayor and Common Council continued the item until
August 2 , 1993 to allow the City Adminstrator to
prepare a written rebuttal; and direct staff to
meet with Courtesy Ambulance to develop a solution.
Recommended motion:
1 . Receive and file report from City Administrator;
- and -
2 . Approve the operations plan as presented July 19 , 1993 ;
- or -
3 . Continue item to first Council meeting in October to allow staff
to pursue discussions with Courtesy Ambulance .
zig 4��e�-
nature
Contact person: Peggy Ducey Phone: 5122
Supporting data attached: yes Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount:
Source: (Acct. No.)
(Acct. Description)
Finance:
auncil Notes: �� 7-5
�� Anonrin Item Aln ..27
CITY OF SAN BERIt ,,.RDINO - REQUEST OR COUNCIL ACTION
STAFF REPORT
On July 19, 1993 , the Common Council held a hearing on the proposed
City Fire Department emergency transport services. After hearing
testimony from Mr. Steve Rice, Courtesy Ambulance, Council directed
City staff to respond to the statements made by Mr. Rice.
CITY OVERPROJECTED REVENUES FOR THE PARAMEDIC MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM.
Mr. Rice stated that the projected revenue for the paramedic
membership program was $610,000 annually. Actual revenue for FY
91/92 was only $178,000, and actuals for FY 92/93 were only
$310,500.
Initial revenue projections were based on current and projected
medical aid call loads, collection rates as provided by Courtesy
Ambulance, and performance figures from other cities with paramedic
membership programs. These initial projections were realistic,
however, a number of unanticipated events have affected actual
collections, including the County EMS lawsuit, paramedic double-
billing, and a change in billing companies from Courtesy Ambulance
to Advanced Billing Concepts (ABC) .
When the Paramedic Membership Program began in July, 1991, the City
contracted with Courtesy for billing services because of their fee
collection experience as well as the established working
relationship between the Fire Department and Courtesy. In August,
1991 after investigating complaints regarding field medical aid
charges, City staff discovered that Courtesy was charging for
paramedic services even in cases where only City paramedics
provided medical care. Over the next few months, staff attempted
to negotiate a resolution to the billing issue. During the
negotiations, Courtesy expressed strong concerns about the legality
of the membership program and ability of the City to charge for
Fire Department services. Because of this, City staff felt that
Courtesy had a conflict of interest regarding City paramedic
billing and was granted approval by the Common Council to contract
with an independent billing firm. This change was a sound
administrative decision but hurt program revenues in the short
term. Any fee-for-service program takes 4-6 months for revenues to
reach projected levels. Courtesy handled billings for the first
six months of the program but just as fee collection was
increasing, it became necessary to change billing companies.
Records turned over by Courtesy to ABC, the new billing company,
were incomplete and collection rates dropped for six months.
However, collections have increased in the last fiscal year. While
its true revenues for FY 91/92 were only $178, 000, revenues almost
doubled for FY 92/93 , to $340, 000.
Another reason projected revenues have not been realized is that
the City cannot collect fees from Medi-Care and Medi-Cal. Initial
information given to City staff indicated that the City could
collect from these providers and these revenues were incorporated
75-0264
into the projections. However, once the program was implemented it
was confirmed that program regulations require an ambulance
transport identification number for reimbursement. This decreased
the original projections by 33-40%. If the City could have
collected these, revenues would have increased last year to almost
half a million dollars. If the City does begin to provide
transport services, these revenues would become collectable.
REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR CITY AMBULANCE SERVICE ARE OVER-ESTIMATED.
Mr. Rice states that the revenue estimates for City ambulance
transport services are too high.
When developing an implementation plan, staff acknowledged that
ambulance collections were a specialized field and revenue
estimates needed to be done by someone knowledgeable in the field.
Wittman Enterprises, an ambulance billing and consulting service,
was hired to perform the initial projections. Wittman currently
bills for the following clients:
Ace Medical Transport Waterford Ambulance
Elk Ambulance Paradise Ambulance
Monterey Park Fire Dept. Ramona Muni Water Dist
Indio Ambulance Sanger Fire Dept
Mono County Emergency Med Svs. Special Services Amb.
West Side Ambulance Marin County
Patterson Ambulance Basis Life Support
Selma Fire Dept. Bridgeport Fire Dept.
Tri-County Ambulance Huntington Beach Fire
Wittman estimated user fee gross revenues would be $4 , 180, 564 , with
net revenues reflecting a 62% collection rate. Staff was concerned
that these projections did not reflect the socio-economic
conditions of San Bernardino, and requested that Advanced Billing
Concepts (ABC) , the City's current billing company, review the
projections. ABC confirmed that the gross projections were
accurate, but that the collection rate should be dropped to 55%.
At one time, Courtesy Ambulance cited a 55% collection rate to
administration staff, so ABC's review was reasonable. However, to
be conservative, administration staff dropped the rate to 52% of
gross billings when completing its cost/benefit analysis.
CITY'S TRANSPORT CHARGES ARE VIRTUALLY THE SAME AS COURTESY.
Courtesy argues that City transport rates are the same as Courtesy
ambulance.
City transport rates will be lower than Courtesy because itemized
fees such as unscheduled emergencies, night and weekend charges,
etc. , will not be charged. Courtesy also has had a rate increase
pending since September, 1991 that was deferred until the City
resolved the paramedic double billing issue.
For comparison purposes, Courtesy rates and City proposed rates are
as follows:
1991
COURTESY COURTESY CITY
CURRENT PROPOSED PROPOSED
Basic Life Support (BLS) * $ 178 .84 $ 214 . 60 $ 238. 00
Advanced Life Support (ALS) 272 . 00 315.93 351. 00
All-Inclusive ALS 403 .75 468.84 0
Unscheduled Emergency 81.24 85. 50 0
Night Charge (7 am -7 pm) 52 . 18 60. 60 0
Weekend Charge 52 . 18 60. 60 0
Mileage 8.94 8.98 8.98
Oxygen 22 . 37 50.98 23 .00
EKG Monitoring 37 .25 43 . 25 0
* NOTE: Courtesy does not charge Basic Life Support fees on 9-1-1
calls. All 9-1-1 calls are charged the paramedic ALS rate.
Based on these rates, an average ambulance bill would be as
follows:
Courtesy Ambulance: All 9-1-1 calls (Note: Courtesy charges ALS rates for all 9-
1-1 calls).
Current Proposed
All-Inclusive ALS $403 . 75 $ 468.84
Night Charge 52 . 18 60. 60
Mileage 27 . 00 27. 00
Oxygen 22 . 37 50.98
TOTAL $505. 30 $ 607.42
Proposed City Rate: Heart Attack Victim - ALS
Proposed
Advanced Life Support $ 351. 00
Mileage 27. 00
Oxygen 23 . 00
TOTAL $ 401. 00
Proposed City Rate: Broken Arm - BLS
Basic Life Support $ 238.00
Mileage 27. 00
TOTAL $ 265. 00
Based on the current and proposed rate schedules, City transport
services would be $100 - 250 less than Courtesy. Furthermore,
residents would not be responsible for paramedic charges for both
Courtesy Ambulance and the Fire Department. This would decrease
bills by another $100 - 200, making a total reduction in fees of
$200 - 450 per medical incident.
THE CITY WOULD PUT COURTESY AMBULANCE OUT OF BUSINESS.
Courtesy argues that eliminating emergency paramedic ambulance
transport would close their business.
By eliminating Courtesy's emergency transport, there is no doubt
Courtesy would change the way it operates its business. However,
Courtesy would still keep all routine transport, which is the more
lucrative service, as well as emergency transport for unincorporated
county areas and surrounding cities.
Another issue that must be addressed is that the San Bernardino City
Council never formally authorized Courtesy to begin providing
paramedic services but Courtesy, on its own initiative, chose to
expand its services when the City did not need them. In 1975, the
San Bernardino Common Council considered the provision of paramedic
services in the City. A motion to designate Courtesy as the primary
provider failed by a vote of five to two. A motion to designate the
Fire Department as the primary provider then passed by a vote of six
to one.
Since the City does not have a written operating agreement with
Courtesy, it is unclear when paramedics were actually put on
Courtesy ambulances. When questioned by Jim Page, the City's EMS
consultant, Mr. Rice stated that he first employed paramedics in the
mid-1970's but did not become an all-ALS paramedic provider until
October, 1990. We can infer that Courtesy did not staff and bill
for paramedic services until late 1990. This was the same time that
the County adopted an EMS plan that identifies private paramedics as
a major component of this County wide plan. When interviewed by Jim
Page, the former County Health Officer stated that the County
considers it important for private paramedics to exist in the City
to serve residents of the unincorporated areas. In essence, city
residents pay for the duplication of paramedic services to subsidize
service in the unincorporated areas.
Courtesy has provided ambulance transport services for the Fire
Department for over forty years. However, they did not begin
charging paramedic fees on 9-1-1 calls until October, 1987. Prior
to that time, Courtesy charged a differential between non-emergency
calls vs. emergency calls, but this equates to the "unscheduled
emergency" charge they have now. Courtesy has argued that the City
approved its ambulance rate schedule, including the ALS paramedic
charge and by doing that approved the staffing of private
paramedics. However, there is some confusion regarding the fees
approved by Council and the application of those fees by Courtesy.
It is unlikely that the Council knowingly approved the imposition of
a fee for paramedic services when that service was not actually
provided by Courtesy. It is also unlikely that Council would have
approved the operation of private paramedics when the Fire
Department had already been designated as the paramedic provider for
the City. Because the City does not and has not have the authority
to audit Courtesy's billings or accounting books, Courtesy's billing
or staffing practices did not come to light until 1991.
THE CITY'S NUMBER OF PROPOSED AMBULANCES IS TOO LOW.
Mr. Rice argues that six ambulances and two reserves is not enough
to cover the number of calls the City has.
Courtesy states they responded to 19,000 medical calls last year.
According to Fire Department dispatch records, City Fire only
responded to 14,500 medical aid calls last year. The remaining
4, 500 calls Courtesy responded to must be for service calls other
than 9-1-1 emergency calls, such as routine inter-facility
transport, non-emergency transport, and emergency transport in
unincorporated areas. Some may also be emergency calls where the
patient has called Courtesy directly rather than 9-1-1. In these
cases, Courtesy is supposed to call the Fire Department to respond,
but has not done so in all emergency cases.
Staff based its recommendation of number and location of City
ambulances on an analysis of the total number of 9-1-1 calls and
their distribution throughout the City. The City's EMS consultant
reviewed the number of calls, peak times, and average time needed
for an entire medical aid call, and documented that six ambulances
would be more than sufficient to staff the City. This number is
reasonable since the City currently has five paramedic teams that
provide services on all medical aid calls. Adding one more
paramedic team would add a more comfortable service level for peak
times. Two reserve ambulances would allow for coverage when
vehicles are being serviced as well as major medical emergencies.
For comparison purposes, Courtesy reports that they operate 12
ambulances at peak periods, with ten designated for San Bernardino.
Staff reviewed Fire dispatch log books which reflect daily reports
given by Courtesy regarding the number of ambulances available.
For the month of June, 1993, statistics were as follows:
Range - # Average #
Ambulances Available Available
11:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. 2 - 5 3.46
7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. . 7 - 10 7 .91
12: 00 p.m. - 5: 00 p.m. 5 - 7 6.00
5:00 p.m. - 11: 00 p.m. 5 - 6 5. 66
During peak morning hours, it seems that more than six ambulances
may be needed, however, further analysis of these statistics
revealed that Courtesy covers the Cities of Highland and Colton
with only one ambulance during these same peak periods. It is
likely that some ambulances "officially" designated for San
Bernardino are actually providing service to Colton and Highland.
Also, morning hours are peak times for routine transport and San
Bernardino are ambulances providing routine and inter-facility
transport as well as emergency response. The San Bernardino
ambulances are also serving the unincorporated areas of the City as
well. So the 7-10 ambulances operating during peak hours are
actually fulfilling a number of different duties besides 9-1-1
service to San Bernardino.
Mr. Rice questions whether minimum ambulance coverage will lead to
call screening, and the poor will be selectively served. As shown
above, six ambulances are more than adequate to cover medical aid
calls. However, dispatch policies of the San Bernardino Fire
Department requires that staff respond to all 9-1-1 calls no matter
what the situation. Fire stations are strategically located
throughout the City to equally serve the entire community and in
fact, if approved, 4 out of the 6 ambulances would be stationed in
areas considered low income.
CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT PARAMEDICS ARE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN
COURTESY PRIVATE PARAMEDICS.
Mr. Rice cited that City paramedics are paid $69, 000. Actually,
City medic pay and benefits ranges from $56, 000 - $64 , 000, $5, 000 -
13 , 000 less than cited by Courtesy. Also, city paramedics are
multi-function staff, trained not only for medical aid, but fire
suppression, hazardous materials response, search and rescue, and
heavy rescue. By comparison, Courtesy paramedics salary and
benefits are $39,000 - 45, 000, but Courtesy staff provides only
medical aid response.
NECESSITY OF TWO PARAMEDICS VS. ONE PARAMEDIC AND AN EMT.
Mr. Rice argues that it is not necessary to have two paramedics to
provide good medical care.
Courtesy Services staffs its ALS units with one paramedic and one
EMT, while the Fire Department staffs with two paramedics. Eighty
percent of all Fire Departments and sixty-seven percent of primary
paramedic providers for the nation's most populous 200 cities staff
ALS units with two paramedics, and there is sound medical reasons
for doing so. Two-person medic teams specifically divide
responsibilities to allow for optimum patient care. On medic,
called the "patientman" takes and monitors vital signs and
administers treatment to the patient, while the other "radioman"
interfaces by radio with the hospital doctor to exchange
information regarding the patient's condition and medical treatment
per the doctor's orders. The "radioman" also prepares any drugs
necessary to stabilize the patient's condition and directs the
"patientman" to administer the drugs and other treatments. More
importantly, two paramedics act as a check and balance system for
each other to ensure that no fatal mistakes are made in the field.
A 1980 study performed by the Philadelphia Department of Public
Health reviewed 200 consecutive prehospital heart attack incidents
where half were handled by two paramedics and half were handled by
an EMT and one paramedic. Researchers found that there were no
survivors among patients treated by only one paramedics, while 16%
of patients treated by two paramedics survived. Furthermore, the
American Heart Association took a formal position in October, 1992
advocating for the staffing of two-paramedic teams.
PATIENT DIED OF HEART FAILURE AND COURTESY TOOK 18 MINUTES TO
ARRIVE ON-SCENE BECAUSE THEY WERE DISPATCHED "CODE 211.
Mr. Rice stated that a good friend recently had a heart attack.
The Fire Department dispatched Courtesy I'Code 211, without red
lights and sirens, and it took them 18 minutes to arrive on-scene.
Administration staff has reviewed both the Medical Aid report as
well as the dispatch tapes to determine specifics of the incident.
Events happened as follows:
6:47 9-1-1 call from patient's wife reporting that her husband
is having convulsions. First-responder engine company and
paramedic engine are immediately dispatched.
6: 48 Courtesy ambulance is dispatched by phone, "Code 2" (no
lights and siren) . Courtesy reports their location at
the Crosstown (30) Freeway and Del Rosa.
6: 51 First-responder engine arrives on-scene. Takes vital
signs, which are strong. Patient is able to converse
with Firefighters.
6:54 Paramedic engine arrives on scene.
6:55 Vital signs taken again. Patient's condition is
deteriorating.
6:56 Paramedics hook patient up to heart monitor. Indicates
third-degree heart blockage. Paramedics ask dispatch to
upgrade Courtesy to "Code 311.
6:59 Courtesy is upgraded by dispatch to "Code 311, red lights
and siren.
7:01 Dispatch calls Courtesy with directions to incident.
7:03 Dispatch calls Courtesy requesting an estimated time of
arrival and again gives directions to the scene.
Courtesy reports location and dispatch realizes Courtesy
has headed in the wrong direction to get to this address.
Dispatch again gives directions to Courtesy.
7:06 Courtesy arrives on scene.
Initially Courtesy was dispatched Code 2, but was upgraded to Code
3 within minutes after paramedics arrived on-scene. Courtesy
reported that they were at the 30 Freeway and Del Rosa. The
incident was located less than four miles away. Traveling within
the posted speed limit, it should have taken Courtesy less than six
minutes. When Courtesy did not arrive within ten minutes, Fire
dispatch called to determine the problem. When Courtesy reported
its location, dispatch realized that they were traveling on a
street that dead-ended and they would not be able to reach the
incident location. Dispatch radio'd directions three times to
Courtesy. Courtesy arrived on-scene 18 minutes after being
dispatched because they were lost, not because they were dispatched
Code 2 .
The controversy regarding "Code 3" dispatch began in August, 1991
when Fire Department began dispatching Courtesy "Code 211 , rather
than Courtesy automatically responding "Code 3" on every incident.
The reasoning behind this is that emergency vehicles responding
through the City with red lights and sirens pose a safety hazard to
pedestrians and vehicles on the street. Since Fire Department
emergency medical personnel arrive on scene in four minutes or less
on average, there is no need to jeopardize the safety of City
streets. This dispatch policy is actually routine for most Fire
Departments, including those cities in the Inland Empire. Courtesy
objected and in fact, until the lawsuit judgement came out, ignored
Fire Department orders and continued to respond "Code 311 . Numerous
studies and reports, including those done by the U.S. Department of
Transportation and the National Association of Emergency Medical
Services Physicians, indicate that routine use of red lights and
sirens represent an unacceptable and preventable safety hazard.
.rr
Wl*:H TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE:
PLEA LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO AINUTES x,27
"AML-
ADDRESS:
o 4., e
TELEPHONE:
WRITTE COMMENTS:
rz
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE:, -+� >•f�. o
P, ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENT4 7 3 MINUTES,
NAME. - d
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE: – o q 44
d
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
�-P
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE:, /
PL kSE LIMIT YOU M ENTS A MINUTES
NAME.
tt
ADDRESS: ,�5 io
)!!�r ►"d4
f
TELEPHONE:
L K
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE:
P' ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 MINUTES
NAME- 0 Abn//V Q V//y
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
r
W tSN TO SPEAK? Y• No �# 0ATE:,�Z
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES
NAME `�i•L�- �.�x�
ADDRESS:
i
TELEPHONE: 'jam
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR y
WISH TO SPEAK? Yo• No DATE:, r 4
P' ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS ) 3 MINUTES
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
r
e
a-
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? No DATE:. 1.2-,2 G Y3
PLEAS LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO ' MINUTES
NAME
ADDRESS: ,
./Z CC ,TELEPHONE-
WRITTEN COMMENTS: �=�� L�G���C`� i7l"c=1_)1c'14c
C
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? •• NO DATE..c
PLJ.IMIT YOUR COMMENTS T" 3 MINUTES ,
NAME-
L II kk L
ADDRESS.
2/L
TELEPHONE-
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
W tSH TO SPEAK? Yes No
DATE:,
P ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 3 MINUTES T
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? � No DATE:
P(_,ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 3 MINUTES
NAME:- jull l�
ADDRESS: '�7 8-5- C
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS: s
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
W tQ H TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE, D U C
PLEAT" LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO " MINUTES !
NAME- 0 Zo
ADDRESS: w
TELEPHONE-
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? yes No
OATEN,
P( 4SE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 MINUTES !
NAME-
ADDRESS: I `
TELEPHONE: 's k`S-�4,11- 3
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yoe No DATE:
P; ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 7 3 MINUTES
NAME:- {
r
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? NO
DATE:�,�,��
EASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENT TO 3 M NUTES
NAME:
AOORE88: ' �°0
S, 6
TELEPHONE: Z�G
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE:- r
PI %SE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 MINUTES �"!3
NAME-
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? rYqs , No DATE-
Pl. ►SE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 MINUTES
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE: 010C
J �L 8
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
� - ^i urrei riii ei�ee6s�rw� w "��r�eiw of nee�mrr.— ---—. — .—•. _..
WISH TO SPEAK? Yo l No DATE:-
LEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMEN ' TO 3 U I ES
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE: J / .' ija
6
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WMH TO SPEAK? �� No DATE:,
PLEAS- LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO ? MINUTES
NAME: r
ADDRESS: AA V AVE
TELEPHONE: �' 7
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
DATE:
W tSH TO SPEAK? No
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES
qw
NAME: ��'• �I1�. e-+ 5 S� COyra'ty. �I^^ S�°2ytte C'OALi-� onl
ADDRESS: �O $
R�C�h+`twoc , era
TELEPHONE:
v
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR �;
WISH TO SPEAK? No DATE: �--
PLEf -E LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TC ' MINUTES �`
NAME J n s`n 40,-r ice'
ADDRESS: �' V�/ A V e.,
� . a
TELEPHONE
WRITTEN C MMENTS: wcul �� `� r� p�P�. +o
Q(-A,'
(-A'j i(., �:L�A S C vI A f..!_t m P 61t." �-ti i 0, 2e f O AQ-. L k) a,�
R k
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO 8PEAK? Yoe No DATE:,_
PLEAS _IMIT' YOUR COMMENTS TO IIINUTES
NAME
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE: 9 -� -7 -777S-
WRITTEN COMMENTS: ,
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE*,,_Z�Lo
PLEAS. _IMIT YOUR COMM NTS TO MINUTES
NAME:
ADDRESS: P500/1
TELEPHONE:
Stu 5"9?-?7{ -
WRITTEN COMMENTS: -
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes, No DATE:, /
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES/
NAME: C)
� C
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Y*• No DATE:
P; ASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS J 3 MINUTES
NAME ���/a �S A-2 2 A �Zy
ADDAE88:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
W tSH TO SPEAKS Y• No DATE:
PL kSE IMIT YOUR COMMENTS ) 3 MINUTES
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS: % -� l%Z ai✓
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK! Yes o DATE: [
PSE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS 3 MINUTES
NAME: = LJ ELL(-f_
ADDRESS: Pc
) _7/t/
TELEPHONE:
TELEPHONE: 1,1
WRITTEN COMMENTS: - J 7z A4 2-7 E7i--7 i
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
WISH TO SPEAK? Yes No DATE:
PL_ASE LIM T YQUR COMMENTS 3 MINUTES �S/
NAbtE: tL
ADDRESS:
L/0 ,
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS: _
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
Wf3H TO SPEAKS Kro-8)N o DATE:
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES
NAME:
ADDRESS: —
TELEPHONE:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED FORM TO MODERATOR
V V i i i Moo
Ambulance Service of San Bernardino
Since 1948
PROPOSED FIRE DEPARTMENT
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT PLAN
f
RESPONSE
BY
COURTESY SERVICES
OF SAN BERNARDINO , INC .
DECEMBER 20, 1993
Paramedic, Van and Wheelchair Services
qqP ` ac! gaimn4) gfroof q n pn—nrAinn o wi ('71 MQQ I
CITY OF SAN BERFARDENO - REQUEST GOR COUNCIL ACTION
From: Councilman Ralph Hernandez Subject: proposed Fire Department
dt: Council Emergency Medical Transport
Date: lylay 19 , 1993
Synopsis of Previous Council action:
Recommended motion:
That the ?,fayor and Common Council direct the City Administrator and
rjae Chief to finalize and implement a plan for the City of
San Bernardino Fire Department to provide emergency medical transport .
Signature
Contact person: Councilman Hernandez Phone: 5188
Supporting data attached: Yes Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount:
Source: Acct. No.
Acct. Description)
Finance:
Co—cil Notes:
75-0262 Agenda Item No.
MY' OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
s'
From: Peggy Ducey, Assistant to the City Subject: Public Hearing for Proposed City of
Administrator San Bernardino Fire Department Emergency
dt; Administration Transport Services
Date: July 7, 1993
Synopsis of Previous Council action:
May 24, 1993 - Mayor and Common Council directed the City Administrator and Fire
Chief to develop a plan for the provision of City Fire Department
emergency transport services and present the plan in a public
hearing scheduled for July 19, 1993.
Recommended motion:
That the Mayor and Common Council:
1. Close the public hearing;
2. Approve the operating plan for City Fire Department emergency transport services
as submitted by the City Administrator's office;
3. Set a public hearing for August 16, 1993 to establish a rate schedule for
City Fire Department emergency medical transport.
Signature
Peggy Ducey 5122 I
Contact person: Phone:
Supporting data attached: yes Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount:
Source: (Acct No.)
(Acct. Description)
Finance:
<Avw`ncil Notes:
75.0262 Agenda Item No.
1Y .OF SAN BERG'4RDINO - REQUEST rOR COUNCIL ACTION
-om: Peggy Ducey, Assistant to the Subject: Proposed City Fire Department
City Adminstrator Emergency Transport Services
f Dept:
Adminstration
Date:
July 23 , 1993
Synopsis of Previous Council action:
July 19 , 1993 - Mayor and Common Council continued the item until
August 2 , 1993 to allow the City Adminstrator to
prepare a written rebuttal; and direct staff to
meet with Courtesy Ambulance to develop a solution.
Recommended motion:
( 1,! Receive and file report from City Administrator;
I �// - and -
2 . 2.pprove the operations plan as presented July 19 , 1993 ;
\ - or -
3 . Continue item to first Council meeting in October to allow staff
to pursue discussions with Courtesy Ambulance .
$i nature
i Contact person: Peggy Ducey Phone: 5122
Supporting data attached: yes Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount:
Source: (Acct. No.)
(Acct Description) —
Finance:
uncil Notes:
7%.n262 Agenda Item No.
i
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO FIRE DEPARTMENT
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT
After reviewing a number of operational modes, staff of the Fire
Department have recommended a service delivery model that increases
and upgrades the City's medical aid and fire response coverage,
uses state-of-the-art equipment, and generates enough revenue to
fully support the emergency medical response program.
CURRENT FIELD MEDICAL AID RESPONSE
Currently, when a 9-1-1 medical aid call comes in, the Fire
Department will respond with a paramedic engine or an engine
company and paramedic engine, depending upon the location of the
call. Firefighter/EMTs act as first responders to begin
stabilization of the patient. A two-person paramedic team then
takes over to further treat and stabilize the patient, under the
radio supervision of a base station hospital. Once the patient is
stabilized, he is loaded into a private ambulance and one or two
paramedics accompany the patient to the hospital and continue
treatment. Once the patient is handed off to hospital staff, the
engine company will pick up the paramedics at the hospital and
transport them back to the station. Because of this operational
mode, the engine company is out of service for the entire medical
aid call .
PROPOSED CITY EMERGENCY TRANSPORT OPERATIONAL PROFILE
The proposed plan would remove paramedics from the engine company,
place them in a separate vehicle, and backfill the two vacant
paramedic positions on the engine with one Firefighter/EMT. To
keep staff increases at a minimum, one of the Department's two
truck companies would operate as an either/or vehicle with staff
manning either an ambulance or a truck company, depending on the
type of call . A total of six ambulances would be staffed with two
paramedics, and two ambulances would be held in reserve for major
medical emergencies .
This system would increase Fire safety coverage because the
paramedic team would be able to operate independently of the engine
companies. Currently, the engine company crew is tied up for the
entire medical aid call because paramedics act as dual
Firefighter/Paramedics on the engine companies. In this profile,
the engine company will act as first responders and assist the
paramedic team in the field, but when the patient is transported by
the medic ambulance, the engine company is free to respond to other
safety response calls.
IPROPOSED FIELD MEDICAL AID RESPONSE CONFIGURATION
In the proposed configuration, a typical medical aid call would be
as follows:
When a citizen needs emergency medical assistance and calls 9-1-1,
CALL DEMAND BY HOUR
SAN BERNARDINO JAN-JUN 1993
12
10
0
I
----------
As Many As $
1 � i
Cars May Be �
Required During 4 }
A Single Hour
2
f
i
0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
AVERAGE PEAK 9 10 7 10 10 7
MAXIMUM 10 11 8 11 11 8
EM AVERAGE PEAK MAXIMUM
Source: Gow tesy Ambulance
EXISTING CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT STATIONS
FIRE STATIONS
- PARAMEDIC FIRE STATIONS
5 Engines x 4 Positions x 3 Shifts = 60 Personrn
6 Engines x 3 Positions x 3 Shifts = 54
Total Personnel = 114
E = Engineer
® C = Captain
P = Paramedic
F = Firefighter
40TH ST
FM 30
HIGHLAND AVE
I- w
¢ U)
M0
BASELINE ST. w
FOOTHILL BLV - 5TH ST
MILL ST
w
z
Z 10 ^I
>
Uj
fV
w
z
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO w
MAY 19. 1993 STAFF REPORT:
PROPOSED FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT
A cost benefit analysis performed by the City Administrator projected net
revenues at $4-6 million over a five year period, depending on the service
delivery model used.
This does not exceed the actual costs associated with the delivery of
emergency medical services, but does defray total costs by a substantial
amount".
Q
JULY 71P 1993 STAFF REPORT:
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED FIRE DEPARTMENT
EMERGENCY TRANSPORT SERVICE
After reviewing a number of operational modes, staff of the Fire Department
have recommended a service delivery model that increases and upgrades the
City's medical aid and fire response coverage, uses state—of—the—art equipment,
and generates enough revenue to fully support the emergency medical
response program'.
1 � .
OPTION
4
... . .
TOT `# Y-033:: :.:::::.::::.:.:..::::.::... x
�;;;;;:::.,:;;;:>.;:.;;>;::;'.::.:;;::;:;;:;:.;>:<•::.:.;:;.;:.::;:
i:>:.:::::::::isv:;:::::.:r::i::: :;::::::i::;::::.::.�:.
�SIC�C'#�tY ��AT}Of�IBLt:Y..:. >::;>:.;;:..:..
>> ..3.
Qf)}A1YIf{aiTCflSTS
hf, 7ER{AfSLIPiLIS GL7STS *S OR V1NG + <::» <? .... ::;:
::;;is}i:;i i:-;:x:;i:;:>::r:rGi<•,•:::;::-::i::i:i,::;+:.:;;:>a;.y:;;;:;;_
:
:TAA}}1f1{�G<CQS. �.;aR::SA.V{N. . -�::>:::>::<:::::::>:>:;:>:>�;.>::>:;::>:>:>:............................................................
.�::::::::.;:.i:_::.;;:;:.;;;;i;;; .iii:.;::.;;:.::.i:;.:.ii::.:.;:.::.::::.:::::::::::::.:.::-:::.:::::.;'.::.;•;.;:;.;..,.:::;.';::::.:.�:.:;..;:.:::...
. :::r`:::::::::i::::::::Y:::::iiii:ii:::k:S::i
25 4.
�. .;: .:?:6:E.is::;:;;:iii:::isisi?:;:i`:$iE: ::is ii:;:;;i?;i:.i;;;;;:-•:::•;x:GS•'i••i:xn:n::.+.:::�.�:i�:.�.ii:
::t3R; FiDFfT. :::..::::::<:::.:::::::::::. ;:;.::•>:.;;;:.;:.;:.i:.i:.:;.;:::::.::;.:::::::::::.:::<::.:::::::::.::::::.::
:� �:.;�.;;:;ii:.i:.i::.i:.iii:;;:.i::.::::.::._::::::::.�::::::::::.:::.:..:;;;:.;>:.;:.i;;:.i:.;:.i:.:::.:;;.:.: :::::.:;.,....;-..:..,
ii:.;:.>:::.i:.:;;<.;>:i::<::i<;:::.::., i;>::iii>:<::;:i>::i::ii::i::i>i>::>i>::i::ii::i:::<:i::::»>
YEAR 2
TOTAL LAY-OFFS/ADDITIONS 0
PERSONNEL COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -717,370
SICK LEAVEIVACAT70N BUY-OUT 0
EQUIPMENT COSTS(-)OR SA VINGS(+) -192,450
MA TERIALSISUPPLIES COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) �-42 TRAINING COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+)
INCOME LOSS(-) OR PROFIT(+) 2,6 6 0,0 31
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR 1 ,25 2,12 9
�OTR't'.f;�:Y OFFSIA£�Dl
A VI
S
::::::::::.::::::. .:.).i'::.i:.ii:.;:.ii:.i:.:.iii>;;;:.i:.i;:;i:.i:.;:;:.;
U -0tJT
'SICK' CAT
LE.4YFJVAI*`?NE Y. ........
2i{?73
COSTS flR SAVINGS+
1L+(ATERIAL:SISURPLIES COSTS(}DR SAVINGS{+)
ri:<.i:.i:.>::. 478,284
:>-7
eosTS-;<oR: a vlNC f
RATNI NGi;:::;::;::'.;::.::. :).;;:::::.::::::::.:.:::::::..�..�:::;;: ii:: :.:::- is:::,.i:,:.::;;:::.i:::,,::<:.:.
::033
:::.:i:.::'.:.;:.i::':..::;.i
>:2 X93.
............ .. ................:.............:.......:........
::.....f:..:.......a.........
;... Q,.. .•�' `i'E:
1NG�MF:� ..SS:.-;flR:
:i:.i�:}:.ii:.i:.iii:.;:;.;:>;:::::::.ii
;i i:::i::;::::::i i::iiii:«:»i::>::<>::>:'>:>:::>•«:i:>«:i>:>:>::i::i:«::<:>i>:::<:::i:<:<::i ii:�iii>
YEAR 4
TOTAL LAY-OFFS/ADDITIONS 0
PERSONNEL COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) -722,558
SICK LEA VEIVACATION BUY-OUT 0
EQUIPMENT COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) —212,176
MATERIALS/S UPPLIES COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -5021190,
TRAINING COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) -46,937
INCOME LOSS(-) OR PROFIT(+) 2,932,684
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR 1 ,448,.81..4
is
;.,.<
A
PERSONNEL COSTS(J'OR
SIC KLEAYE/YACAZIOIYBUYO , r
22 ...
EQUIP,MENT..CQSTS
MA:TEAIALSZSUPPLIES:COSTS:,. DR SAV1NGSj+) -
49, 34
-;:OR.:SA.VING
rrRAIN1NC:�OSTS�); : �:1.::::.;:.i:.i:.ii;::.i:<.i::.:::.;i:.i:.;:.:;.:,::::.:,..�::,:::.i::;.:.;:::;.::::::::::::...,:::::::.:.i•.;...:.,.
<::.. . . _-<>2'i�>:4»:>;>�`:::::;::>:>::::'>::»':<:<::::ii::ii;iii:;�:_�;i:•;;..;::<i::.;>:::ii+:;:;Qp:: - ;$'
::i:<:;>:<::ii;;:;:::>::::>:::>;:i::>:<;::;>>«<: ::<:>: ,D7 ,3 .;..:
INCOME.::::::i::::::.(; ...ii.:..:.:isiii;ii::.i:.ii;:.:::::::::::::::::.,;.::: ::::.: .:ii:<:.;...:...:i::::;< ...
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR
TOTAL NET OUTCOME OVER 5 YEARS 1 X6.016.979
LU N °
0 Z h- (D. aD N �t c�D N � N�
(� m :) r - 0° 0 O(D LL N
N O � T �
a
LL ¢
O 0 0 o rC° CD It
� cco. 0 cD
w
U � ° ° °(D o r- � LO r°
C\l
T LO
w
LU LL 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LU Ct) U)
LOL U
Z
LLIa w 0 00 ° O co (1) (n qt
o Cl) LU F- (D q In (D rn m N m
LU Co C/) a: C\j cr)
_ 6 0 T
O a:
U CL r
w It It It co rl_ O In LO
W Z gH N O N T M O N N
LUx � GL O OD tN N � C�
00
U
° o 0 S ° 0 W O w 0 0
CO o o O O 6 O 0
U U U O N N LO
CL
O M �
Q
CL
O O cq M Q j 0 0 rn
U Q� O CO O tLO N h ° 6°9
LO �
C9 N
O �
d
LLJ
0
Z
LL
w
0
= w
ui
CO
T-
..
Z ¢
ui
U w
w U w �w Z
w �] J
w Q U D
Z C/)
m w z O w ¢ o
E-MiS INCOIr'`
I •
Revenue Billed
Acct E NA,S INCOt•t
' I Calls 15.2-.b5 _
EMS Tc't-= 11147.40
Fossible TransrOrL
LS Transpor�s 3901 .59
Teal ALS TranspGljts
O.oS
ELS Trar�spGrls 7245.51
Total ELS I ransper,s
ci — - Gr'iS 0. 5�
,D Noy,- i r2n_c p 4777.,5
To',---I Non-Trensporis
source: 5/19/93 City staff report (backup material) . . .
Pr000sed City Rate: Heart Attack Victi-m - ALS
Proposed
'kdvanced Life Support $ 351 . 00
Mileage 27 . 00
Oxygen 23 . 00
w TOTAL $ 401 . 00
Pr000sed Citv Rate: Broken Ar-m. - BLS
Basic Life Support $ 233 . 00
Mileage 27 . 00
TOTAL $ 265 . 00
source: 7/23/93 City staff rebuttal report
REVISED CITY RATE/INCOME PROJECTION
BASED ON 7/23/93 STAFF REBUTTAL REPORT
CALL TYPE TRANSPORTS PROPOSED CHARGE PROJECTED SALES
A LS 3901 $401 .00 $1 ,564,301
BLS 7245 $265.00 $1 ,919,925
NET SALES $3,484,226
NET INCOME @ 52% $1,811 ,798
ORIGINAL INCOME PROJECTION _ $2,534,614
NET DIFFERENCE $ 7221816)
c��rx c�?s �Hr=zvc�
Ia April !993
F3rY
�LBU�-G�I'i �iaZtn A?:1x11�nc�e Cats ,
According to chief Foyle of the Rialto Fire �nepprt ent, the
of their a„�pular,cR acrvica { as
judge;. `or 92/93 8485,591
�: L•�1 Revenue X550 Q00
CelLnquency,Rita 32�
delinque.^,cy rata rice' to Lein cent
Additienail it i i �� p �, t to col?ecLzcna
Yr nc_�.�a= ccst� �';a.. rsa t recovQrable au6c t-o
?Iedicuzs and ::ed.6 4. ccgt�,
re indicated t„tt g-:cup r.�g visited :roe chino (Chief shackalfcrd
t;�.3 or.�d7 , �,rd t�;ey ?y xera ss;�i:,g ai�il�{ gLectio7s .
C •
o $ 722 , 816
0
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO FIRE DEPARTMENT
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT
After reviewing a number of operational modes, staff of the Fire
Department have recommended a service delivery model that increases
and upgrades the City's medical aid and fire response coverage,
uses state-of-the-art equipment, and generates enough revenue to
fully support the emergency medical response program.
CURRENT FIELD MEDICAL AID RESPONSE
Currently, when a 9-1-1 medical aid call comes in, the Fire
Department will respond with a paramedic engine or an engine
company and paramedic engine, depending upon the location of the
call . Firefighter/EMTs act as first responders to begin
stabilization of the patient. A two-person paramedic team then
takes 'over to further treat and stabilize the patient, under the
radio supervision of a base station hospital . Once the patient is
stabilized, he is loaded into a private ambulance and one or two
paramedics accompany the patient to the hospital and continue
treatment. Once the patient is handed off to hospital staff, the
engine company will pick up the paramedics at the hospital and
transport them back to the station. Because of this operational
mode, the engine company is out of service for the entire medical
aid call.
PROPOSED CITY EMERGENCY TRANSPORT OPERATIONAL PROFILE
The proposed plan would remove paramedics from the engine company,
place them in a separate vehicle, and backfill the two vacant
paramedic positions on the engine with one Firefighter/EMT. To
keep staff increases at a minimum, one of the Department's two
truck companies would operate as an either/or vehicle with staff
manning either an ambulance or a truck company, depending on the
type of call . A total of six ambulances would be staffed with two
paramedics, and two ambulances would be held in reserve for major
medical emergencies.
This system would increase Fire safety coverage because the
paramedic team would be able to operate independently of the engine
companies. Currently, the engine company crew is tied up for the
entire medical aid call because paramedics act as dual
Firefighter/Paramedics on the engine companies. In this profile,
the engine company will act as first responders and assist the
paramedic team in the field, but when the patient is transported by
the medic ambulance, the engine company is free to respond to other
safety response calls.
PROPOSED FIELD MEDICAL AID RESPONSE CONFIGURATION
In the proposed configuration, a typical medical aid call would be
as follows:
When a citizen needs emergency medical assistance and calls 9-1-1,
STAFF SHIFT FOR CITY AMBULANCE
CURRENT E C
i
P P
CHANGE 1 E C P P
i
Move 2 Paramedics From Engine To Ambulance
CHANGE 2 E C P P
F
Replace 2 Paramedics With 1 Firefighter On Engine
OPTION j
4
R
::•:::r:•::::>:o::;::i:;ii;:::::;:o::;: ::::;::::::
:�7!1'r�:'is:C/t:C•:.�J;:Y.fi�!!r!f;fltJl F:.f7;4i:.:;;.:.:iii.;.::•.::.�:.:.�::::::::::::::::::.�::.:::::::::::.:::::::::.::.::::.:�:::::::.ss•:.;y•::�:::::<:::::::.:;::::: ,
f��1P,M�NTOOSTS.-;flR:S.4Y
�+
Nr mew{feQS..T..s.�:�:�� :�.:::s{.:�.:::.:::::::::::::::::::.
::> =129 2
............
.;:<.;:.:.:::::.::
.... ...3 9.95
YEAR 2
TOTAL LAY-OFFS/ADDITIONS 0
PERSONNEL COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -717,370
SICK LEA VEIVACAT7ON BUY-OUT 0
EQUIPMENT COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -192,450
MATERIALS/SUPPLIES COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -455,509
TRAINING COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) -42,573
INCOME LOSS(-) OR PROFIT(+) 2,660,031
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR 1 ,252,129
Y .
TOTAL LAY OFFS/Af3 TfO
Pf!?SONNFL L'aSTS{r.OR SiWIN GSj'+) 74
0
SiK LYE/ AAT/Of�[BUY::;:;;;::::: :::::::.::.>:;:>:::.
284
MATERIAf
a', 944)COSTS
:....
���70.
>:::<::><>:.':<:<::::>::;;:
,,..,...:
NGOM�:LOSS OF/T
NET OL1TG'DMF FOA YEAR
YEAR 4
TOTAL LAY-OFFS/ADDITIONS 0
PERSONNEL COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -722,558
SICK LEAVEJVACATION BUY-OUT 0
EQUIPMENT COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -212,176
MATERIALS/SUPPLIES COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) -502,199
TRAINING COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) -46,937
INCOME LOSS(-) OR PROFIT(+) 2,932,684
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR 1 ,448,814
A D DI IONS;;.;:.::.;:::>::::>::>:<::>;;:<::>;:::>:.;:::;::>::»::.:.;.;;;.>•<�:;<::.>:::.>•.;..::::.::::::.�::;;:;::::::::.:::::.;::::::;.::::.:.
PERSONNEL;C OSTS:{)<�R•:.:.::.�.::::.:::.::::�..)..:::::<::.;;::.;:::.;:;.;;>::<;:.;:;<.;;:;;.;;•:::.;:;.;:::::;.:.;>;:::.::;:�:;.;;>::::::<::;<;:;:;:..;
SICKLEAVEIYACATI N
fQUIPMENT:COSTS , QRSAVINGS f.>`.»>` .....::;.:::><:<<» :< '><..::::: :::.:>: 222,78.5
:::::;:.:;.;:.>:.>:.;:.;:.......
MATERIA4§lS: PLfES COSTS(}OR SAVINGS{+J ";: :.< :: 527,30'9
NG' + 4g 28.4.
TRAINING;.C..4ST5:.........;.:::.:.: .:).:::::: ::: :;:;;:';;:':':;;::;;;;::`;;::::; :,:.:.;::.;.:.
AVON O :PROFIT+;:
7
9.
31.
$.
6 .
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR
TOTAL NET OUTCOME OVER 5 YEARS 016.979
i
j
. s �
RIVERSIDE T.1 OPTION j
PLAN r:: ::::::::.:.�Qf�#PA�fN1;'Ot1.STS:. :fl)!3.:�fi:�l}NCB:�.:::::::: $����' ...:::::::,: :<.:.:
f
z..........
' >:=`x:
.::: :,...::::::::.
>23` "
.... .,.
5 ..
:::::::::::.�.�.5## 3.0#�.....:...::....:.:...::.::::.:::::.:::::3:::::::::::
:. :;:»»::::>:;:>::«::<::>::>::>:::<:: ::>::>>:::;:::>:: <::::;a>>::>::>::>::>>::::::::>................
. ....:....:..:.
YEAR 2
TOTAL LAY-OFFS/ADDITIONS 0 0
PERSONNEL COSTS(.)OR SAVINGS(+) 1 ,340,688 1 -717,370
SICK LEAVEIVACATION BUY-OUT 0 0
EQUIPMENT COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) 50,183 -19 2,4 5 0
MATERIALSISUPPLIES COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) 41 ,935 -455,509
TRAINING COSTS(.) OR SAVINGS(+) -1 ,257 -42,573
INCOME LOSS(-) OR PROFIT(+) -395,83911 2,660,031
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR 1 ,035,71011 1 ,2 5 2,12 9
>'s£l
_ ' DD1TfONS?<>�>: >>
AdpftL
8:
EL<:COS::S. -;:ORS:4V{NGS-t:;•.:;:;;::;;;:::>;;:::>;;;::>;>:;::.;::.:�;;>.::;;::;;;>:::::::.�:.1.:.4.#37:��3:<::�:?:>'>:>;:>::::>::<;:..::;:..::.....::>:::::::::::
3
78
28:4'
33!
.::.:.:........................
YEAR 4 I
TOTAL LAY-OFFS/ADDITIONS 0 0
PERSONNEL COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) 1 ,4 7 8,1 0 9 -722,558
SICK LEAVE/VACATION BUY-OUT 0 I 0
EQUIPMENT COSTS(-)OR SAVINGS(+) 54,273 -21 2,1 7 6
MATERIALS/SUPPLIES COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) 45,357 -502,199
TRAINING COSTS(-) OR SAVINGS(+) -11307 -46,937
INCOME LOSS(-) OR PROFIT(+) -505,447 2,932,684
NET OUTCOME FOR YEAR...........................................................................................1 ,07.0,990 { ................. 1 ,448,814
;:::....:.::.
YEAR-5:
TOTAL iA Y..OFFS/ADOI T{ONS:::::::::::.::::::::::::::::.:::.::::::::::::::.::.:::::.::.::::::.::::::::::.:::::....::::.:;
P,ERSQNNEL:COS.TS -;.ORSAVINGS ....
>o
EQUIPMEN3-COSTS OR::SA.VlNGS .............:..... ..:>.::::;:<::<:>:<:;>:.::;::...:.:..::.:,..::::::
:O VI GS 4.7.:x.71 527,3x .
MATERI LSISUPPLTES COST s:
(.I.:::::::.::::::::.::::.::::::.
TRA.{NING..COS:TS .::OR SAVIiYG.
. 31°8,
":_>;:>:::; ;.;;:.';>:::::;: : 3.0:79
INCOME: DR PROFIT t. ..<,....;..;:...,.,,...:.::..>.; ;;::,:::::.:::. �7.�.�.;..:;.:>;:;:.::.> < >
>' ::.
:::::::::. . ........ ..... . .
NETOUTCDMEFORYEAR.:;;:.;>:,.::..:;:.:;:;,;:::;: ::�07r. :
TOTAL NET OUTCOME OVER 5 YEARS $5.140.857 _ I $6.016.979
i
0 0
ADDITIONAL LABOR COSTS
NOT CALCULATED IN PROPOSAL
i
I
I
f
$ 1 ) 276 ) 846
i
0
O COSTS NOT ADDRESSED
0 MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
0 GENERAL LIABILITY
0 VEHICLE INSURANCE
0 WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE
0 EARLY MEDICAL RETIREMENT
CITY BUSINESS PLAN SUMMARY
INCOME PROJECTIONS
ORIGINAL INCOME PROJECTIONS (5/19/93) $2,534,614
REVISED INCOME PROJECTIONS (7/23/93) (722,8161
REVISED NET INCOME $1 ,811,798
OPERATING COSTS
ORIGINAL OPERATING COSTS YEAR 1 (5/19/93) $2,020,619
ADDED UNACCOUNTED LABOR COSTS (5/19/93) 1 ,276,846
REVISED OPERATING COSTS $3,297,465
NET LOSS FROM OPERATION ($1 ,485,667)
O
p NET OPERATING LOSS
$ 1 , 485 , 667
0
Imp- qw
0
w
DC z
W W
� � z
m
Q �
F-
U) m
� li � w ClIft• Q o
rr
L) 0.
w
0 o 0
� w
fr
LL
HCPCS CODES
HCFA has developed procedural terminology and a coding system designed to
provide all thirdparty payers with a common language that describes the service
provided. For ambulance senices, most procedure codes start with the Ietter "A' and
are followed by four (4) numbers.
Additionally, Carriers use "local" codes for services not listed in the HCPCS system
or due to Carrier variations or as a result of historical practices. Thus, for example,
extra attendant and night charges are billed under local codes.
It is important to note that Carriers do not necessarily use all of the codes listed
below, as they have some discretion. Additionally, Carriers do not always use the
official description.
The more common HCPCS codes for ambulance services and their descriptions are
as follows:
A0010 - Ambulance service, basic life support (BLS) base rate, emergency
transport. NOTE: Many Carriers use this code for the emergency, as well
as for nonemergency BLS base rate.
A0020 - Ambulance service, (BLS) per mile, transport.
A0030 - Ambulance service, conventional air sen'ice, transport.
A0040 - Ambulance service, air, helicopter service, transport.
A0050 - Ambulance service, emergency, `Water, special transportation.
A0060 - Ambulance service, waiting time, one half (112) hour increments.
A0070 - Ambulance service, oxygen, administration and supplies, life
sustaining situation.
A0150 - Non-emergency transportation, ambulance, base rate.
A0215 - Ambulance service, miscellaneous disposable supplies not itemized
(if itemized use appropriate CPT4 or alpha-numeric supply code).
A0220 - Ambulance ser-,Ice, advanced life support (ALS) base rate, all inclusive
services, emergency transport.
A0221 - Ambulance service, (ALS) per mile, transport.
A0222 - Ambulancd service, return trip, transport.
A0223 - Ambulance service, advanced life support (ALS) base rate, where .
nonreusable ALS supplies are billed separately, emergency transport.
A0999 - Unlisted ambulance sen•ices covered by Medicare.
93041 - EKG tracing, one (1) to three (3) leads, w ithout interpretation, no report
(NOTE: some Carriers use 93005 or other codes).
All base rates listed above are one-way transports.
{ambulance Reference Manual for Medicare 37
0.
s
Y�
- --s'". .. .... - INITIAL ST,aTEH..ENT 2%Z5/9Z
?IcASE I':CLUOE CG:APLETcO `:R °BILLING Ih�UT.F.I_S
LSURANCE FCP:•1 aITH T-P CFFIC_ HP S/ �T.41F/1.30� l-Y.3CP't
Ll
P-IRT,ICN DF THIS STATEFctiT
CLCScO TNURS`?AYS
714/33'7-2737 31 0/5'34-6759 •
r.
054'-92001706 10
CITY CF SAN 3E:%NARDINC ;
PARAF,EDICS
i
P.C. BOX 5150
FOUTAIti VALLEY CA 927)3
---------------------
�� pf-EASE RETURN TOP P:CRTION.WITH PAYMENT
DST= OF A`!CUt�T
VICE Rys
?TICt1 Sc DE SC RI
=2/15/92'`'A.022o..- !,
ALS FARA _DIC TIANSPORTATT_0`�
200.CG '
--------------------- ------------------------------------------------�_- ---
---- LAST CVER GVE C,VER CURREN T
0 .YS 6G DAYS 90 DAYS • ?ALAVCE
P AYME'-; z _
----------- -----
---- ----------
200.00
;ITY GF SAS; BERNARDINO TOTAL DUE. ZOO.GO
0548-920-1705-10
TT•
ACCORDING T01 OUR RE CGR)3 TYCUTHAVEY A SS U'•''E'7TF I\A,":C I ALT TT T
PESPOt:SI3ILITY FOp S=PViCES PPOVIDFD. PLEASE ?.E4IT PAYMENT IN T
- FULL I:'"EDIATELY OR C014TACT THIS CFFICE,
i
PATIENT NAME
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINr v
pF RAMEDICS
P.O. BOX 9150 ACCOUNT NUMBER t STATEMENT DATE
FOUNTAIN VALLEY CA 92708
714/839-2787 800/339-8443 0270380 11/16/93
Place of Service: LOKA LINDA UNIVERSITY FOR'-BILLING INQUIRIES
OFFICE HRS 1MTWF 11:30PM-4:30PM
CLOSED THURSDAYS
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO
PARAMEDICS
P.O. BOX 9150
FOUNTAIN VALLEY CA 92708
P A LE-ASE INCLUDE YOUR CLAIM(S)NUMBER ON YOUR CHECK FOR PROPER CREDIT. PLEASE DETACH AND RETURN TOP PORTION WITH PAYMENT
270380 11/04/93 A0220 ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT 200. 00
CLAIM TOTAL 200. 00
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR SERVICES RENDERED BY THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO
PARAMEDICS. IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAM YOUR INSURANCE WILL
BE BILLED. PLEASE SEND THIS OFFICE YOUR INSURANCE INFORMATION. THANK YOU
ACCOUNT NUMBER = DATE OF STATEMENT':` AMOUNT PAID
0270380 11/16/93 DATE SWILL APPEAR ON 2W OO
YOUR NEXT STATEMENT
PATIENT NAME'
MAKEICHECKS PAYABLE TO:
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO
SEE REVERSE FOR IMPORTANT BILLING INFORMATION
N
1
ti O
�
w
N N
v CM
1Q r
r
Q c
h.
r
0
r r
r
O
W
1 L
c
co
1
Q ' A
W
r
W r
i
co
' co
h
� ' m
o to
OD
0
to to d' co N
STAFF SHIFT FOR CITY AMBULANCE
CURRENT
E C
P P
CHANGE 1 E C P P
Move 2 Paramedics From Engine To Ambulance
CHANGE 2 E C P P
F
Replace 2 Paramedics With 1 Firefighter On Engine
SAN BERNARDINO CITY FIRE STATIONS
STATION NO. LOCATION
1 NON—MEDIC 2nd Street between Sierra Way and Allen
2 9th Street and Gardner Street
3 Medical Center Dr. and 21st street
4 27th Street and E Street
5 NON—MEDIC Kendall Drive and University Pkwy
6 Del Rosa Avenue (1900 block)
7 NON—MEDIC 40th Street and Electric Avenue
8 NON—MEDIC Highland Avenue and Orange Street
9 N0°`I 2nd Street and Meridian
10 Mill Street and Arrowhead Avenue
11 NON—MEDIC Vanderbilt Way and Hospitality Lane
r.�rrrrrr �► + 11W +
f
E
EXISTING CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT STATIONS
. FIRE STATIONS
- PARAMEDIC FIRE STATIONS
5 Engines x 4 Positions x 3 Shifts = 60 Personrn
6 Engines x 3 Positions x 3 Shifts = 54
Total Personnel = 114
E = Engineer
C = Captain
P = Paramedic
F = Firefighter
qL�
40TH ST
FWY 30
HIGHLAND AVE
w
U) Cl)
0
F-
BASELINE ST. w
FOOTHILL BL`1 5TH ST
MILL ST
w
z
O
z
w 10 N
W
W
z
CC
i CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO LLI
SAN BERNARDINO CITY FIRE STATIONS
STATION NO. LOCATION
1 MEDIC 2nd Street between Sierra Way and Allen
2 MEDIC 9th Street and Gardner Street
3 MEDIC Medical Center Dr. and 21st Street
4 MEDIC 27th Street and E Street
5 MEDIC Kendall Drive and University Pkwy
6 MEDIC Del Rosa Avenue (1900 block)
7 MEDIC 40th Street and Electric Avenue
8 MEDIC Highland Avenue and Orange Street
9 MEDIC 2nd Street and Meridian
10 MEDIC Mill Street and Arrowhead Avenue
11 NON—MEDIC Vanderbilt Way and Hospitality Lane
C
PROPOSED CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT STATION.
FIRE STATIONS
® PARAMEDIC FIRE STATIONS
10 Engines x 3 Positions x 3 Shifts = 90 Personnf
1 Engine x 3 Positions x 3 Shifts = 9
Total Personnel = 99
E = Engineer
- C = Captain
P = Paramedic
\'�Ftioq F = Firefighter
� F
- 40TH ST
.\ I
FWY 30
HIGHLAND AVE I > -
co
®co
BASELINE ST. w °-
FOOTHILL BLV 5TH ST
t
MILL ST
w
a
z
O
z N
w FWY 10
w
z
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO W
ADVANTAGES
1 . Doubles the number of Fire paramedic units on the street from 5 to 10
2. Substantial improvement of Fire paramedic response times
3. Keeps Engine Companies in their districts for better EMS/Fire response
4. Significantly increases the life of engines due to less wear and tear
5. Will have no impact on Rescue or Fire protection services
`r' 6. Saves the City $ 975,000.00
7. Can be implemented through attrition. No existing-Firefighters will
loose their jobs.
eprinted with permission of JEM''�►
Fire vs. Private EMS
It Doesn't Have To Be This Way
High noon in Centerville.You can 3.Compared with transport cable res- other methods that resist duplication in
slice slabs off the tension with your cue rigs,ALS engines decrease the the public sector),nothing delivers ALS
Buck knife.Their jobs at stake,fire- average time spent per call— especially first response less expensively than an
fighter paramedics and private when backed up by a reliable ALS ALS ante
Paramedics watch their leaders square transport system. Just as a reliable private ALS tans-
off down on main street for the final 4.When a private ALS ambulance and port system is no substitute for a
showdown.The fire chief speaks,or an ALS engine are simultaneously dis- reliable first resoonder program,a reli-
maybe it's the private owner,'This here able first responder program is no
paramedic industry ain t big enough for substitute for a reliable ALS transport
both of us.' service.A first-class prehospital care
'Oh yeahT says the other. system must have both.The best of
"Yeah,'says the first.The caliber of ",�meday our industry's both worlds is a prehospital care system
their debate hasn t changed in a decade. combining the performance and effi-
The truth is that this industry is big leaders may Face the fact dency of a privately operated ail ALS,
enough for both of them,and if the
leaders on both sides can just get their that there is work a fire
egos under control,everyone,including
the patients,will come out a winner. department can do best,
This month's guest'Interface-article and work that a lifted
was written by Jerry Carter,chief of the 4
Largo Fire Department,Largo,Florida. private ambulance `►i�`
The article is about one of the best � —`
public service bargains in all of local company can do best."
government—the ALS engine.In ser.
vice per dollar,ALS engines rival the
efficiency of privately operated all-
ALS,full service transport systems.The
_ advantages are obvious:
L Generating the ALS service at low patched to a critical call,the patient gets _
marginal costs,ALS engines are our a second chance if either unit's response
industry's least expensive means of is delayed for any reason. �2
rapidly delivering paramedic ng pamedic capability
to the scene. 5.Crews working ALS engines are not - S
2.Use of ALS engines improves the just cross-trained,they are also cross-
productivity of the entire fire depart- used'every day.
- ment—not just crews assigned to the 6.Properly organized,the marginal cost
rescue units. per response of an ALS engine is far less
than that of an ALS rescue unit,and
only slightly higher than that of a BLS
Jack Stout has been at the forefront of innova- engine
lions in the design and implementation of EMS 7 While the private sector can deliver
' systems for the past dozen years.Ifyou have a p
' ALS transport service far more efE- '<
question,a problem,or a solution related to �P . _
the publiclprivate interface in prehospital care, gently than can a government agency
address your letter to'Interface"jems,P.O. (i.e.,by peak load staffing,aggressive
Box 1026,Solana Beach,CA 92075. system status management,and many '
84 JUNE 1987 jems
_ the major fires and not use fire suppres-
sion resources for other emergencies,
which might reduce the likelihood of
having fire suppression readily avail-
_ " 1 able for the two to three percent of time
® we use it.
Our city strongly believes that a fire
department can safely provide fire pro-
} , , tection and play an important role in
our community's prehospital care sys-
` �• term using the same resources.Our
� " belief in that concept is so strong that
�- today the Largo Fire Department runs
An ALS engine can make an important contribution to an exist fng prehospital care system in advanced life support(ALS)engines
helping to save lives. exclusively.
full service system with the equally a qualified private ambulance company In 1983,ego was running both an
impressive performance and efficiency can do best.While some shoot it out in engine and a rescue company out of
Of an ALS engine fast responder Centerville,others cooperate to produce each of our fire stations.This system.
system• a better result together than either could proved inadequate since all of Largo's
Oh,of course there are problems produce alone.God bless those others. engine and truck companies were
with working together.But there are chronically undermanned.When an
also solutions.Who's in charge at the engine company arrived on a fire scene,
scene?The senior paramedic of the first their capabilities were often so severely
crew to arrive —who else?When ALS Engines Work limited that they were sometimes forced
should a fire paramedic ride in with T_, T to wait for additional resources before
the patient?Whenever the paramedic in 111 Largos Florida Proper firefighting could be
charge makes that decision.Continuity implemented.
At the same time,our rescue units
of care?Joint in-service training,uni by ferry Carter were intended to be manned by two
form medical control,uniform on board paramedics,but not infrequently the
equipment,standard medical protocols. rescue units were forced to go on the
Where cooperation is valued,solutions Among are chiefs there exist wide
Apwk are found.Elsewhere,solutions are differences of opinion regarding the road with one paramedic and one EMT.
AF I impossible. type of coverage and amount of com- One of the biggest problems associ-
Someday our industry's leaders may mitment a fire department should give ated with the engine and rescue concept
face the fact that there is work afire to emergency medical services.Some was the fact that the majority of the
department can do best,and work that believe fire departments should staff for workload was being carried by the res-
cue crews since over 80 percent of total
One of Largo Fire Department's ALS engines which provides both fire protection and prehospital calls were EMS-related.Given the
care to the community. unequal workload and the low produc-
°'°`' - 1 tivity of engine company crews,
animosity developed between rescue
crews and engine companies Realizing
' RE ' that a way must be found to equalize
0:` ,�.�; workloads and unite our personnel,we
''" — A�-:-_r •r
began a program to give the citizens of
Largo excellent,yet cost-effective EMS
and fire services using the same
- resources
-! -s The solution to the problem was ALS
engine companies In 1985,all of our
engine companies became ALS capable.
Today,every engine carries a four-man
crew,at least two of which are fire-
fighter/paramedics with the remaining
crew trained to the EMT level.By staff-
ing in this manner,and by furnishing
_ - each unit with two complete sets of ALS
equipment,each ALS engine is capable
of responding to and handling two ALS
calls and one fire suppression call liter-
ally back-to-back.
The Largo Fire Department,while in
command at all medical emergencies,
works closely with the private
ambulance companies who transport
for us As ALS first responders,we
stabilize the patient,sometimes with the
assistance of private ambulance crews,
and then the patient is transported by
` Of cours--there is still the possibility
r 3 0 that a fire with property loss may some-
day occur due to insufficient firefighting
capability at the same time an engine is
providing medical services in another
private ambulance to the hospital with location,just as it is possible that we
our paramedics on board,when may experience a delayed EMS
necessary. response because our engines are tied
In 1986,the Largo Fire Department up at a fire To minimize these pos-
responded to over 10,000 calls for ser- abilities and their consequences,we are
vice:Almost 95 percent of those calls now in the process of upgrading our
were medical requests.The nature of private transport service to the Para-
our population plays a vital role in medic level—an improvement that will
determining these statistics,as many also help us rest easier when we elect
senior citizens have chosen our Florida not to accompany our BLS'patients to
climate for their retirement years. the hospital.But even accepting this
As the figures illustrate,ALS engines possibility of conflicting demands on
have proven extremely cost-effective for our resources,we believe the lifesaving
our community,saving us about a mil- advantages of our system far outweigh
lion dollars each year in manpower the property loss that could occur.
costs alone.Costs of fuel,maintenance A Word Of Warning-A reliable ALS
and depredation are about the same for trznsport service run by a qualified
both our rescue units and engines,but fu-m is essential to the safe utilization of
because we no longer need to purchase ALS engines.Transport unit response
and replace rescue units,our overall times must be extremely reliable(Le.,
savings are substantial Perhaps more not more than 10 minutes maximum
importantly,our capacity for handling with not less than 90 percent reliability),
demand fluctuations is greater than clinical standards and quality control
before,our personnel workloads are must be uniform,and the contract or
more fairly distributed,and our man- franchise must incorporate adequate
power productivity is something we safeguards against service interruption
I don't mind discussing with our elected as well as effective takeover provisions.
officials. p
f-
lJ
F
`r
Q> > E �
cd
N �
O
0
a Z
cr}
W F-
m Z
Z-
QO
t7 O d 7O,y--°d.+C O 7 W r N-= Ow O;"u°DD W v v G O
d. V O " O
= = d C do m d tL
eN Ae°o�•o° °o uAga,o.5� u..y�� y`c�.s
E co = o u,� c > a w u u o0
6�eoa'c ' —u �°auic u5WcNU 20.10 00 �'u0y$ :=.EE ` °aE�'��
_ ca=nom ucecQacau ?�j°vr� `,Odu •ca ° cos u-> u"�mco
N �u cc E?> dam,'==0 � A>,OE�c' _c�?�>,^� 3oR�`oQo�:oo _<M=.-
°E °o,tcvtO. E>u ua� N�cW r� o_,._ � �> u sa> uut7 usm
cuw o�C.cv Eo a a U �cu Au-cu=.
FF .um >°c °a �LOa� 0`9 cu rNbu
W ^>t yuN u oue-=E' mqH cu .. N.+xu s o > q v coo. v -ou uOno
U oo >•-ono RNA c NL-J _,5 L°«� 3=doac o •= 3 0
o- su a c cu aw N
� 0 c"z�a=corm vNa� c u;g=��"�c Nsuc o3a�� a cR c> co`
_ c somuyuu° s^O3 `s-eua >mOneEu o E o>�'OY s3- o� Esu°`O� ma ° -Ems oy
r oocuu-cr, 0,5 Nc-»^°= w 3=
=-+ E'=`4�•oo i.'scu•�cucS. •eC'O"ouoEs„NN,.u7T="Q �c• Au... =�V���-o
m nom unouc'N o u�uc' o,Nu ?ccaco Tmas yam . .C°nYC�ycunEFu No c-
E E�'au> 3�mEF>E-oy y3c°�:a 3u a�4:ua u3cvmupGUSU GU4 :K
�N
�C V V dmOU0N
ypW o a u
C y0 W V=in
CCC `1 LO Vk bb— O=d — NdL LN L O.-
_ "e ,ono— v �= y a 'N=�� s Ec=m uc'yoo
�— p 2Osu`o ao °W Q =.-
Op �EhdaC' 7w to=-. °dO�dO
=cocam,co3ccoo °c c,N, CW�'c��u �y0� Eus n°Eauc`00 Nca�L0
d I >,`7>>C...=... m03 y 7.-5- v= �NFa�rEw yy=Y'- LC=> u
coi0cn Od_sd 'Omia ��?°c� r«eeo'eQ ocd'RSCm uom�•��E `aui`O'm�r�
'V dO"m- m(1;; 0 u b.0 �.° N m V N.+ua
o—uus O `n mNp > _t m�L N c gyc >ucc`c
dEua E LVd.-c o.-U me u_u
Wu'ooiac..19wN o,o aoac;Om �wo¢L300 >"'=¢s•oc m= ycm
ra�Y OEi, <ed�aa CC) >>C7y?; o`s Es NA uC�U?ru m-
CC) mm m tO dm.Da yLm =.+L TC0 UaiCin
4) 4) =$ mum—mc>o- sod9 No. ao�a ¢"°eu°_� 'd-,m dui
�� Us°ia v w`uy u°� ua c c`-aui u 3 E o u u =`6`o`C� m s3
EDV� v¢ii3: c N� ° F?m cy sdTgmoE cL$°=uuW
>,-doEc s�vm3�
Mw� coi °oou3'o•'.°N aou�u F'� m„omo Om—scLc hoNk c m wo
m Eaem`_0= �EW`oo cc Icm'u 'i:s .Ec°O Ldosmon FEa� cam
i
Kuf�'.-.. a_U Ems.tn
t
f
� E
a � �
� h
ZS
D :
W �
G — —
0
0 o m m°c°C 3w w°°'m a Hy',m nCd__.W°`af>7 S m 7 n°•
y y 0<y o w O 0 wm a<w c w�o°w•c w R<m m°°t?,m Cw+.C',
0 3OC n w w`c°m m aa°i'•c m°C m d°w m W o c S w w�?O(:7
ocm w°O o3 o�°w mz?
o
a�E�:T°°,o�"T rt°9m°wm a°,'.,.'t2 y o d"''v s m°�f w_o a°'>o<°c�W7w"w'wm.°p 3>�•x o rn H m°�m°�°Q3°c�q°3°m"y w�'e�� m7_a°
as d 4 Sw e°a d°°d o O
C OT 1
1 w<o d o o or
0- e Vi
o
w C 3 ° d 3 0
° m m a
° p o o
xd y ° F : 3 nc •Pf3 C S. a w cc a m°`om no�O
,
D
o cr k Ta c ° ° c �on d o a
CL 0E
� 0 .. ° m n a
0 3 w
n ° 3 a a
r m w o < fu IM
CA
n D_ <w o w o
o a�
S .o 3 c
O C N.m - o � ° (7 O
f 3 m e 0-o i°
-' 0 On m
c n3 ^. o n L.
» m ° °°f a gm
° ° °
O s ° c ° 3 c m o
m m
°m v,O O f a°m�°
t
p y�y I
C tm<a 03R�Z
• S N mc O W m pw ° � c C c ° �'T3 °m m w Aam
S. n CD
o m ° m 0 0 a 3 c a m 'A o s > 7° <'p m N
0 21 CD 9 w a
o M nn
�0 a0 a 4 G C
O
0 3 X"0 a H 0.
p o'o c 3 a CD cr c w w a ° w m w 3 a a; °° m S 3 2L g_ q a< ; 0.
CL c < < ° 3 F m w
° 3
0 0— c � p f n�T a 32 0jp la n+l,y ZO!h`O yCn 0 ti o<
3 mI o o ° a n ° � °o 3y � dS tr N aC 3
K -W 3
9. 0 m r 3 3 7 A s
a � 3 or
C � 3>w R S7 N c 0 0 o
a 3 CL 0
A P a
cr ° C
o ° 3 <7 < O ° L° O c c 1 O o
o o ° n
1?'
'
a
< w S
O <
m _
O
m
� z Ito A3
--A- n 7
CURRENT COUNTY PERCENTAGE
RA TES RA TES INCREASE
BASIC LIFE SUPPORT 178.84 285.62 59.71 %
ILEAGE 8.94 11 .80 31 .99%
UNSCHEDULED EMERGENCY 81 .24 112.29 38.22%
/GHT/WEEKEND CHARGE 52.18 80.40 54.08%
OXYGEN 22.37 69.64 211 .31 %
WAIT TIME 16.38 25.23 54.03%
ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT 277.00 419.21 51 .34%
KG 37.25 57.40 54.09%
LL-INCLUSIVE ALS 403.75 622.10 64.90%
`OUNTy
1Sdq R¢tglRUENO
>> ' San Bernardino County Fire Chief's Association
December 20, 1993
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Over one year ago, the Chino Valley Independent Fire District, along
with a number of other fire agencies, here in the County of San
Bernardino, was requested by the City of San Bernardino to enter into
the lawsuit between the County/City of San Bernardino.
At the time, we were assured by a member of the San Bernardino
County Board of Supervisors that we, meaning the Chino Valley
Independent Fire District, would not be affected by the outcome of this
court decision. Our legal counsel indicated we would be subject to the
ruling. The outcome of the decision would have been to take away all
control of the emergency medical services we provide to our citizens.
As a result, we joined in your efforts.
Therefore, we entered into a partnership with your City to maintain local
control over the level of emergency medical service. We have spent a
considerable amount of time, effort and funds to obtain an affirmative
ruling by the court.
Courtesy Ambulance Company and the San Bernardino County Board
of Supervisors have chosen to appeal the decision of the lower court.
Six other State court cases, started by the California Ambulance
Association, have all resulted in rulings in favor of fire departments.
The Appeals Court will soon hear this case and we are hoping they will
i reaffirm the policy that public safety is the number one responsibility of
local government.
Mayor and City Council Members
December 20, 1993
Page 2
Today, we urge you to continue our partnership and support all of our
efforts in the appeals process and support us on the local level.
Also, today we urge you to support the policy that public safety is the
number one responsibility of local government and your fire department
can provide this service in the best interest of your citizens. We request
you reaffirm your support today of fire departments and vote to provide
ambulance transportation for your citizens here in the City of San
Bernardino.
Thanking you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
y . Shackelford, Pre ent
COUNTY FIRE CHIEF ASSOCIATION
r
an Bernardino County Fire Services Coalition
15091 La Palma Drive; Chino, CA 91710-9615 (714) 597-9686 ext. 231
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 1993
CONTACT: Mike Dickinson, San Bernardino City Fire
Department, EMS Coordinator (619) 261-4342
Dan Coffman, Coalition Chairman
(909) 597-7775 Office; (909) 482-4104 Pager
COURTESY AMBULANCE PROPOSAL JEOPARDIZES PUBLIC SAFETY.
WILL BE CONSIDERED BY SAN BERNARDINO COUNCIL DECEMBER 20th
The Courtesy Ambulance Company and the City of San Bernardino
have been at odds for nearly two years over the issue of who
has authority to control the delivery of emergency medical
and ambulance services in the City, the City or the County.
In fact, Courtesy and the County of San Bernardino brought a
lawsuit against the City of San Bernardino on the issue last
year, they lost and have recently appealed the ruling.
In the wake of this appeal and in response to a proposal by
the fire department to provide ambulance service. They have
presented a proposal to the City Council that would reduce
the number of firefighters and essentially allow them to take
over paramedic service in the City of San Bernardino. It
will be considered on December 20th.
The plan, which has been sharply criticized by firefighters
and the public alike, would eliminate at least fifteen
firefighters positions, reduce engine company strength from
four firefighters to three, by eliminating one of the
firefighter/paramedics currently assigned, would raise
ambulance rates more than fifty percent, calls for a ten year
exclusive contract, allow them to take over paramedic service
in the City of San Bernardino and, if they had their way,
would have private ambulances responding from fire stations.
-more-
(1 of 2)
Representing Fire Departments, Labor & Management Organizations
& the Members of the San Bernardino County Fire Service.
�f-; -
San Bernardino City Firefighters think the proposal is
nonsense! Reducing the number of firefighters and
firefighter/paramedics puts the public at risk by reducing
their response capability and jeopardizes firefighters who
are often find themselves in very dangerous situations.
The Fire Department is an all risk, emergency service,
strategically placed throughout the community to meet the
emergent needs of the public. No matter what the emergency,
all you must do is dial 9-1-1 and the fire department will
respond quickly and with enough personnel, equipment and
knowledge to take care of the problem.
While staffing, distribution of personnel, equipment and
response are based principally on the potential risk for
fires, as determined by the Insurance Service Office, these
multi-functional firefighter/paramedics and EMTs respond to
all types of emergencies and provide a much needed emergency
medical service without significant additional fiscal impact
to the taxpayer.
Proposals, such as that presented by Courtesy Ambulance, fail
to consider the need, the total cost of providing fire and
emergency medical services or the economic cost associated
with a reduction in firefighting personnel. Firefighters,
which are required to meet ISO standards, are also needed to
provide a quick response with enough manpower to manage
medical emergencies. They can not be replaced without
significant detriment to emergency medical services and
public safety in general, without increased risk to
firefighters, without an increase in fire risk, property
loss, economic hardship and increased insurance premiums.
The San Bernardino City Fire Department feels that it can
provide emergency medical ambulance service better and more
cost effectively than the private, for-profit, ambulance
company can. They presented an Emergency Medical Transport
Operations Plan that was approved by the City Council August
2, 1993 , that they would like to see implemented.
Firefighters from the City of San Bernardino and throughout
the County will have an informational picket in front of City
Hall Monday, December 13th 7: 30 AM till noon, are meeting
with Council Members, community leaders and are urging the
public to call on their Council Members to reject this
nonsensical plan by Courtesy Ambulance and will make a
presentation before the City Council on Monday, November 20th
(2 of 2)
San Bernardino County Fire Services Coalition
Representing Fire Departments, Labor & Management Organizations
& the Members of the San Bernardino County Fire Service.
\rr�
X FOR COURTESY AMBULANCE
DEC. 20, 1993
JOHN SENTO - 4325 NORTH "E" STREET, 886-2541
For City Paramedics.
r r T C l I C
&I 1A W 2565
F Pc M9l�-TrzT-A-T--�yi ,i c i
RUTH ORR - 2736 GENEVIEVE , 883-9405
X For private enterprise - Courtesy or another company.
HARVEY & JENNY GRADILLA - 25645 - 27th STREET, 883-1257
For City Paramedics.
X MILDRED DAVISSON - 721 EAST 9th STREET, SPACE 139, 889-1393
For Courtesy Ambulance.
X RAY KEELING - 264 East 42nd STREET, 882-8407
For Courtesy Ambulance.
KARP STOCKTON - 847 WEST 18th STREET, 882-1678
X For private enterprise.
JOANNE SITTS - 5405 PRADO COURT, 883-5750
For City Paramedics.
MRS. M. K. SICKLER - 1329 POPLAR, 889-6660
For City Paramedics.
JENNY ANDRADE - 1457 WEST 5th STREET, 808-2780
For City Paramedics.
ED POFFEK - 5465 NORTH "E" STREET, 882-8855
For City Paramedics.
LILLIAN JEAN - 701 EAST 21STREET, 882-3069
For City Paramedics.
a.-7
•Rosemary Alonzo 3� William Krips and Betty
8 58 W. 25th
63 Bussy q, 82-2478
886-9035
For Paramedics
For Courtesy
/3 Robert Davie
889-4859
For Courtesy
John Walters
1936 Eagle
888-7415
For Paramedics
# Mrs. Beals
3280 C Little Mountain
For Courtesy
William Harrison
4675 Woodbend Ln.
886-8932
For Courtesy
3f Bill Jarvis
3144 Genevieve
883-7906
For Paramedics
36, Mrs . Kenny
2048 E. 18th
For Paramedics
37 Maxine Kraft
2830 N. Mt. View
886-5753
For Paramedics
3F Lisa Haiston
1460 Kendall #23
887-7061
For Paramedics
CONSTITUENTS FOR COURTES"
Mrs . Mascari & Bruce
862-1009
/d Yvonne Knight
1235 Cedar
888-3360
Eric Romovnov
227 E. 44th
882-6001
,2D Rodney Coe
1703 Fremontia
883-1737
.21 James Ross
3850 Atlantic
862-8110
,�-2 Pauline Berberich
3850 E. Atlantic
862-7893
,23 Shirley Walters
359 E. Ralston
883-2735
,24/ ::amison Matthias
3041 Pinon
862-8097
.=' Esther Cobos
837 W. 24th
882-2157
Marilyn Leidner
874-2268
z/2 093
CONSTITUENTS FOR FIRE PARAMEPTCS
PG Bruce Belkemeier Arthur Tempia
5764 N. Louise 272 E. 4th
889-8990
Loralee Newby Kevin Valentin
5565 N. Thistle 359-5855
David Agundez
yr1 Harold Wear 4459 N. Vermont
1683 Lugo 880-6095
Shirley Bogh
!� Duncan McEwan 3114 Belvedere
338-7558 862-1906
SrtV Sherri & Fred Janssen
Al Cindy Piepmeier 4495 N. Vermont
3373 887-7087
(qJ Len Borowski
y5" Fernando Garcia 1304 E. Deaville Ct.
3995 N. Golden 886-3383
�✓ Lucion Gordon
Betty Schmidlhuber 4040 Piedmont
385 W. 49th 864-3712
886-5903
G� Willard Plummer
1761 Kenwood
1/j Nancy Hultgren 886-3187
550 W. 5th #709
885-8227 Lester Melzer
711 E. 21st
yP Patricia Lay 882-7453
2841 N. Mayfield &f/ Andy Wallenberg
882-6753
2931 Sepulveda
883-7594
Irma Frater
550 W. 5th Street #1112 _ William McKinnon
1775 E. 20th
$�Sl James & Faye Lawson 889-8916
1033 W. 26th
882-7973 Ronald Lawson
3945 Ferndale
5-2 Tint Wessel 883-1956
4422 N. Vermont Mrs. . Gallegos
887-0221 2562 N. "I"
883-1419
S3 Kevin O'Kamura
3358 Mirada Terry Tomboc
425-1765 4431 N. "F"
886-9585
/a �.toA3
r
X FOR COURTESY AMBULANCE
PARAMEDICS/COURTESY AMBULANCE ISSUE
DEC. 13, 1993
DANA HUNTER - 1153 EAST ECHO DRIVE, 387-6762
Do not change mind re. emergency services. Keep City Paramedics.
DIANA DOGERO - 2295 CINCINNATI COURT, 880-3183
Thank you for supporting Fire Department.
DEC. 14, 1993
LAWRENCE HUGHES - 1428 N. WALL, 888-5394
In favor of keeping Paramedics, not Courtesy.
PATRICIA CADE - 2361 NEWPORT AVENUE, 882-5886
Supports the Paramedics - Courtesy is a joke.
DEC. 15, 1993
WALTER & PAULINE WYLDER - 279 EAST 46th STREET, 883-1539
Wants to keep City Paramedics. Do not want Courtesy Ambulance.
KAREN MILLER - 2844 N. ARROWHEAD, 883-2516
Want Paramedics to have their jobs. Forget Courtesy Ambulance.
DEC. 16, 1993
MICHAEL HARRIS - 591 E. 19th STREET, 883-7759
For City Paramedics. They are professionals - know what they are doing.
LINDA HILL - 4394 N. DON DIEGO, 887-2021
Need to keep services they have been receiving.
CHARLES SCAGGS - 4458 CHRISTY AVENUE, 887-8186
Opposed to private ambulance service. Supports paramedics.
TONY & DOREEN FROSSARD - 4623 SAN BENITO, 887-1029
Against cutting Fire Fighters.
REMELLE LUMPKINS - 4395 VERMONT STREET, 880-4394
For the City Paramedics
DEC. 17 , 1993
ATHLINE BLISS - 1308 N. CEDAR STREET, 888-0631
Support City Paramedics
X MARY HILL - 1747 FREMONTIA, 883-9344
For Courtesy Ambulance
EDWARD DE FRATIS - 254 E. ALEXANDER, 882-6713
In favor of City Paramedics.
ROBERT HUNTLEY - 3887 PARKSIDE DRIVE, 882-4865
In favor of City Paramedics
��A o f3
7 BRIAN DEMULLIN - 1108 E. DEVONSHIRE , 886-8201
In favor of City Paramedics. . Courtesy not telling true story.
X = LOYA NOLAN - 1331 VALENCIA, 889-1301
For Courtesy Ambulance.
'r SUSIE CORDERO - 352 E. WABASH, 885-5108
For City Paramedics.
X RON HAZARD - 3063 N. BELLE, 423-4774
For Courtesy Ambulance.
DEC. 20, 1993
' DUN DERRY - 3148 ARDEN, 864-0289
City should NOT go into ambulance business. Doesn' t care which ambulance company
serves City.
DUN WEIDEL - 1023 W. 9th STREET, 884-2258
Opposed to Courtesy - they are crooked.
f'iR. u MRS. LOUIS UNRUH - 48G1 SEPULVEDA, 886-2738
In favor of City Paramedics
.� BARBARA_ BOGGS - 1183 E. ALEXANDER, 886-3522
For City Paramedics.
X y TOM BARTLETT - 921 E. CENTRAL, 889-3450
For Courtesy Ambulance.
f PATRICK CARROLL - 4894 MARIPOSA DRIVE , 886-5726
For Fire Dept. Paramedics.
X LUIS SCHEURER -1177 CONGRESS, SPACE 3 8, 889-3765
For Courtesy Ambulance.
26—RiCARDO TOhiBOC -4431 NORTH "F" STREET, 886-95,05
For Fire Dept. Paramedics.
X THERESA SHAW - 743 E. SONORA, 8812-8391
For Courtesy Ambulance.
�G JOSEPH PAGLIA - 2185 W. COLLEGE AVENUE, #3146, ,0 87-6111
For City Paramedics.
X DON QUIEL - 3226 NORTH "F" STREET, 886-2255
For Courtesy Ambulance.
A Eleven, $65,000 l I Fmploye�es\ ..i
9
UNIONS PICKETS DEMAND CITY TAKE OVER OF
COURTESY AMBULANCE
If city unions have their way, on Monday, Courtesy Ambulance will be put out of business, to be
replaced by a new city bureaucracy. City staff and union membership will grow by 14 people, eleven
making $65,000 a year, with guaranteed annual raises.
City Hall is leaning this way. That is nutty.
Does anyone realty believe the city can be more efficient than a private firm?
No.
Across America, cities are contracting with private firms to provide public services. Why? Private
firms are cheaper. They must be to stay in business.
Even San Bern--dino C:vy Fall agrees. Recently they announced they would star`s contracting Out
services to save money. First to go: tree trimming. They found it could be done faster and cheaper if
a private firm replaced high cost city workers.
Going into the ambulance business violates City Hall's own best judgement!
So what makes City Hall think they can run an ambulance business?
The city budget is tight. The unions have convinced the staff they can make money in the ambulance
business. They can't.
City bureaucrats are paid for having large growing staffs, not smaller efficient ones.
The city is self insured and would have to absorb workmen's compensation and liability costs
now paid by Courtesy Ambulance.
Ambulance costs are mostly for employees. City ambulance workers, though no better trained,
would make more money, have better benefits, can't be fired and would get guaranteed raises.
Who made Courtesy Ambulance a target?
Bob Holcomb.
As Mayor, he was desperate for money. He started a weird scheme whereby the public is charged for
paramedic service unless they pay the city in advance for protection. Few people signed up, so most
patients are getting billed $100 when paramedics come to their home, $200 if they ride to the hospital
with them.
The ambulance take over was started by Holcomb when patients justifiably complained. He figured that
if the whole bill was from the city, people would not notice the new charge.
What could force City Hall to make this mistake?
Union picketing and pressure.
What can you do?
Call your City Council Member to protest this mistake:
Edward Negrete 384-5268 Jerry Devlin 384-5278
Dr. Freddie Curlin 384-5222 Valerie Pope-Ludlam 384-5378
Ralph Hernandez 384-5333 Norine Miller 384-5068
David Oberhelman 384-5178 i
lssauisng as tkaquiV aqZ ul ssauisng oN seH ileH ,�jta XqA,
I0bZ6 V3 `ou'pJnulag unS
jaa4E gluanas tsahl EEC
ajpuaS aaunpnquiV �saunoo
Adding Eleven, $65,000 City Employees...
UNIONS PICKETS DEMAND CITY TAKE OVER OF
COURTESY AMBULANCE
If city unions have their way, on Monday, Courtesy Ambulance will be put out of business, to be
replaced by a new city bureaucracy. City staff and union membership will grow by 14 people, eleven
making $65,000 a year, with guaranteed annual raises.
This is nutty.
]Does Anyone Believe City Hall Can Run An Efficient Operation?
No. City Hall has begun contracting out its services to save money.
'Will The Public Get Better Service, Or Save Money?
]Vo. City ambulance workers, though no better trained, would make more money, have better benefits,
can't be fired and would get guaranteed raises!
Then What Is Really Going On?
Adding Eleven, $65,000 t...ty Employees...
UNIONS PICKETS DEMAND CITY TAKE OVER OF
COURTESY AMBULANCE
If city unions have their way, on Monday, Courtesy Ambulance will be put out of business, to be
replaced by a new city bureaucracy. City staff and union membership will grow by 14 people, eleven
making $65,000 a year, with guaranteed annual raises-
City Hall is leaning this way. That is nutty.
Does anyone really believe the city can be more efficient than a private firm?
No.
6 U
Across America, cities are contracting with private firms to provide public services. Why? Private
firms are cheaper. They must be to stay in business
Even San Bernardino City Hall agrees. Recently they announced they would start contracting out
services to save money. First to go: tree trimming. They found it could be done faster and cheaper if
a private firm replaced high cost city workers.
Going into the ambulance business violates City Hall's own best judgement!
So what makes City Hall think they can run an ambulance business?
The city budget is tight. The unions have convinced the staff they can make money in the ambulance
business. They can't.
City bureaucrats are paid for having large growing staffs, not smaller efficient ons.
The city is self insured and would have to absorb workmen's compensation and liability costs
now paid by Courtesy Ambulance.
Ambulance costs are mostly for employees. City ambulance workers, though no better trained,
would make more money, have better benefits, can't be fired and would get guaranteed raises.
Who made Courtesy Ambulance a target?
Bob Holcomb.
As Mayor, he was desperate for money. He started a weird scheme whereby the public is charged for
paramedic service unless they pay the city in advance for protection. Few people signed up, so most
patients are getting billed $100 when paramedics come to their home, $200 if they ride to the hospital
with them.
The ambulance take over was started by Holcomb when patients justifiably complained. He figured that
if the whole bill was from the city, pecple would not notice the ne,!;,
What could force City Hall to make this mistake?
Union picketing and pressure.
What can you do?
Call your City Council Member to protest this mistake:
Edward Negrete 384-5268 Jerry Devlin 384-5278
Dr. Freddie Curl in 384-5222 Valerie Pope-Ludlam 384-5378
Ralph Hernandez 384-5333 Norine Miller 384-5068
David Oberhelman 384-5178
issauisng ajunpiquiV aqjL ul ssauisna oN suB, IfuH X113 CqAj
TTtZ6 VD 'OUTPJPUJ99 UPS
qE)@-Tqs qquE)AGS *M tSOT
Pza-edsE[ oxeuae -aW
OEM-
]JOW
P -o
IOP'Z6 V3 '0M1PJMUd9 UPS
IddJJE YlUdAdE MIJA RCj'
daieuaE diuvjnqwV i(salinoo
Adding Eleven, $65,000 City-Employees...
UNIONS PICKETS DEMAJ M CITY TAKE OVER OF
COURTESY AMBULANCE
If city unions have their way, on Monday, Courtesy Ambulance will be put out of business, to be
replaced by a new city bureaucracy. City staff and union membership will grow by 14 people, eleven
making $65,000 a year, with guaranteed annual raises.
This is nutty.
Does Anyone Believe City Hall Can Run An Efficient Operation?
No. City Hall has begun contracting out its services to save money.
Will The Public Get Better Service, Or Save Money?
No. City ambulance workers, though no better trained, would make more money, have better benefits,
can't be fired and would get guaranteed raises!
Then What Is Really Going On?
PAGE 02
To: The Mayor and Common Council of the City of San
Bernardino
FROM: Ronald G. Skipper, Attorney at Law
DATE: December 2, 1993
SUBJECT: Emergency medical services negotiations between the City
of San Bernardino and Courtesy Ambulance
For the past two and one-half (2h) years, an ongoing area of
dispute has existed between the City of San Bernardino, which
offers emergency paramedic services, and Courtesy Ambulance, which
also provides paramedic services within the City limits of San
Bernardino.
History:
In July, 1991, the Fire Department implemented a Paramedic
Membership Program that established a fee of $100 - $200 for every
medical aid call that the Fire Department responds to within the
City. The City contracted with Courtesy Ambulance to provide
billing services for us. In August, the Fire Department began to
receive complaints from citizens that their insurance companies
were not covering the cost of two paramedics on one medical aid
call. As staff investigated the complaints, it became apparent
that Courtesy Ambulance was charging for paramedic level services,
even though the City was the actual provider of those services.
Over the next few months, Fire and Administrative staff held a
number of meetings with Courtesy Ambulance, the County Health Case
Agency, and ICEMA to work out a solution to this "double billing"
issue. The position of both the County and Courtesy was that the
County controlled all pre-hospital care and Courtesy was authorized
under County regulations to staff and bill for paramedic level
services on all medical aid calls within San Bernardino. The last
meeting was held on November 25, 1993 . On December 10, 1993, the
County and ICEMA filed suit against the City for declaratory relief
regarding authority over pre-hospital care. Soon afterward,
Courtesy joined the lawsuit against the City. Once the lawsuit was
filed, the City stopped all negotiations so as not to affect the
progress of the suit.
On March 29, 1993 , Superior Court Judge E. Michael Kaiser issued a
judgment in favor of the City of San Bernardino in County of Sad}
Bernardino, et al. , vs. City of San Bernardino, et al. The
judgment is on appeal. In essence, the judgment provides that the
City of San Bernardino retains control over the administration of
all pre-hospital emergency medical services and the County only has
authority over medical control. In specifically addressing the
issue of ambulance transport, the judgment cited Government Code
Sections 38794 and 54980, which expressly authorize cities to
7
• SF-100 SERIES FAX PAGE 03
The Mayor and Common Council
of the City of San Bernardino
Page Two December 3 , 1993
provide ambulance transport and the Emergency Medical Services Act
does not expressly or impliedly repeal those government code
sections. The final judgment did not specifically authorize the
City to provide emergency medical transport, however, a strong
inference can be drawn that the City has not been limited by the
judgment.
The problem issue, that there are two distinct providers of
paramedic services, has yet to be resolved. Citizens in many
instances are being charged two separate paramedic charges which
can substantially increase ambulance billings.
On May 24 , 1993 , the Mayor and Common Council directed the City
Administrator and Fire Chief to develop a plan for the provision of
City Fire Department emergency transport services and present the
plan in a public hearing scheduled for July 19, 1993 .
Negotiations between the City of San Bernardino and Courtesy
Ambulance failed to arrive at a resolution of the problem.
In an effort to resolve the pending dispute between the City and
Courtesy Ambulance, both of those entities agreed to have me,
Ronald G. Skipper, attorney at law, review all of the pertinent
data and meet with representatives of each entity.
Several meetings were held and discussions took place to determine
if an acceptable middle ground could be arrived at to resolve the
matter and/or reach an acceptable proposal which could be submitted
to the Mayor and Common Council.
It has become evident to me that the positions of the City and
Courtesy are so far apart that a meaningful settlement proposal
cannot be achieved.
Good faith efforts on both sides have not resulted in a resolution
of the many issues that are involved in the delivery of and billing
for emergency medical services and the development of a written
protocol.
it was my pleasure to have attempted to be of assistance to the
parties in this matter. I am sorry that a resolution of the matter
was not achieved.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA—HEALTH AND WELFARE A( _'y
PETE WILSON, Goromor
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AUTHORITY
1930 9TH STREET, SUITE 100
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814-7043
(916) 322.4336
FAX (916) 324-2875
November 22, 1993
Mayor Tom Minor
300 North D Street
San Bernardino, CA 92418
Dear Mayor Minor:
This is in regards to the current conflict between the City and County of San Bernardino over
provision of emergency ambulance services with the City.
The dispute between the City and County is now at the appeal stage, but in the meanwhile,
an agreement is needed between the parties to ensure the uninterrupted provision of ,
paramedic services within the City of San Bernardino. The County Emergency Medical
Services agency has developed an agreement which it has offered to the City to serve as an
interim measure pending resolution of the court process. I understand that, despite the short
time frame involved, there has been little or no direct negotiation between the parties.
The County has contacted lne, as director of the state agency which has responsibility for
oversight of emergency medical services and certification of paramedics, to see whether we
can provide some assistance.
Without discussing the merits of the original dispute, I think it is important now that an
agreement be signed by the parties. II' there is no agreement, for one thing, individual
paramedic certification will be in jeopardy. There may be no way to ensure that paramedics
are performing under medical control. Without this assurance, we would have to look
closely at whether paramedics working for a provider within the City without a contract with
the local EMS agency are in violation of the terms of their certification.
1 would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you and perhaps be of some assistance in
getting this matter resolved.
I will call you within the next week or ten clays to set Lip an appointment. In the meantime,
if you have any questions, please call me at the above number, extension 332.
Sincerely, .
Joseph E. Morales, MD, MPA
Director
/ irl
Z 's
c c
0 0
a a 0
O d' U
to LO
C
t t C
!n co O
M c7
x x a
IW
0 0 w 0 a
0 U
t-
asyw z "'
�. Cl) � E
V ,u
Z x x I z
W N N p o v�
� C C <
�� ZO H p IL
W W I c ;�' F W
J d y
V LO to
Vf :y
N
z
O a.
z < v
O �•, F w
4 V Z �� y
H F W
y
Q ,
z
O U
P
F W
y
Q LV = = Q J
QZ D 0) to
J co _Q
0 m
u it n ii
L'1 U a tz.
m
c
c
O
N
m
a
cn C) 00
II II II C a
U
W O
Ch C'9 C
CO
>- X N O
O O d o
(L R
LU a d O U
d
U) M M
a X X z O,
O O C U
a C W O 0. o y W
Z a
LU r x a Q U F Ci
�- ZO a U vFi W d
0 U F w y
d w y
F
v
N
ZO a
OIa F U
r U OI ° IE W
H F W
V7
a
Z
o
F
to
W
W co CO
0 Z F =- O J_
QZ ZI 0) LO E--
J LU Q
0 m �
u u li ii