MEETING DATE: 5/7/2019
DEPARTMENT: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
DEPT HEAD/DIRECTOR: K. O'Neill
AGENDA ITEM PREPARER: K. Mangano
SBC DEPT FILE NUMBER: 1068
SUBJECT:
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES - K. O'NEILL
Approve contract amendment #5 with American Medical Response West, dba: American Medical Response, for 911 ambulance contract extension through June 30, 2020. Delegate authority to the CAO to execute the contract.
SBC FILE NUMBER: 1068
AGENDA SECTION:
REGULAR AGENDA
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
American Medical Response (AMR) is the 911 contracted ambulance provider for the Exclusive Operating Area (EOA) in San Benito County. The previous agreement was effective October 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019, and includes a provision for a five year extension.
However, at this time, we are requesting a one year extension while American Medical Response works through a nationwide paramedic shortage and an internal realignment that would transition the San Benito Division into the Santa Clara County Division, instead of Santa Cruz County as it is now. The alignment with Santa Clara County will provide many more staffing options for San Benito County as they work through the paramedic shortage. Provisions of this extension include adding a transporting unit to the EMS System thirty-six hours per week, to include weekends and holidays. In order to place the additional ambulance in the system a subsidy of $15,000 for the 1st year will be provided to AMR. This agreement also contains provisions requiring specific EMS related online training for supervisors and incident reporting requirements were streamlined.
County EMS & AMR will continue to meet on a regular basis to work on a new 5 year contract that will take effect at the conclusion of this proposed extension.
A draft contract was presented to the San Benito County Emergency Medical Care Commission (EMCC). After a motion from the Hollister Fire Department representative and a second from the San Benito County Health Officer, the EMCC unanimously voted to recommend approval of this one-year contract extension.
Minor changes to the recommended contract (including in the Board's version attached) are under legal review by AMR. It is recommended that the Board grant authority to the CAO to approve the contract once final approval is obtained by AMR, including any necessary changes.
BUDGETED:
Yes