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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 10231984 - 2.1 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on October 23, 1984 , by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Fanden , McPeak, Torlakson NOES: Supervisor Schroder ABSENT: Supervisor Powers ABSTAIN: None. SUBJECT: Interim Period of Ambulance Service for East County Effective October 29, 1984 With the loss of ambulance provider status in Emergency Response Zone 7 (City of Antioch) , East Contra Costa Ambulance Service Inc . (ECCAS) , advised the Board that it was cancelling its contract effective October 29, 1984, because it could not economi- cally implement paramedic services within its two remaining assigned zones--6 (City of Pittsburg) and 8 (area east of Antioch) , as was required in said contract . The Health Services Director was autho- rized to negotiate an interim contract for emergency ambulance ser- vices for said area and return to the Board with a recommendation prior to the cancellation date of the ECCAS contract . In an October 17, 1984 communication to the Board , W. W. Walker , M.D . , County Health Officer , recommended that contracts to provide ambulance service for emergency medical calls dispatched by the Delta Regional Communications Center (DRCC) to be awarded to Regional Medical Systems for Zones 6 and 8, and to Antioch Ambulance Service for Zone 7. Regional Medical Systems will provide one dedi- cated paramedic unit in Zone 6; Antioch Ambulance Service will pro- vide one dedicated basic life support unit in Zone 7 with two back-up units; and Regional Medical Systems will provide one basic life sup- port unit in Zone 8. Back-up will be provided by both companies within East County with a move-up basic life support unit from Concord if necessary. Supervisor T . Torlakson advised that on Friday, October 19; 1984, he convened a meeting with representatives of fire and police agencies , the hospitals serving East County, ambulance providers, and city officials to address both the interim period of ambulance service required and the long-term configuration of ambulance service for East County. He commented on the scope of the discussion and the cooperation of Regional and Antioch Ambulance companies to provide a certain level of advanced life support services to the residents in East County. Supervisor Torlakson proposed that the recommendation of Dr. Walker be modified to provide 5 dedicated ambulances to service Zones 6, 7, and 8 with a split assignment of the advanced life sup- port paramedic unit in Zone 6 five days a week (Sunday through Thursday) and in Zone 8 two days a week (Friday and Saturday) . Supervisor Torlakson referred to the absence of paramedic service in Zone 7 (City of Antioch) , and advised that he has urged the Antioch Ambulance Company to consider initiating paramedic service for two or three days a week . in order to provide additional protection than what is being proposed at this time . He also referred to the recently adopted ordinance by the Antioch City Council and advised that the City Council will not be contracting with the Antioch Ambulance Company but will buy into the County system and contract with the County for the required level of emergency medical ser- vices . Supervisor S. W. McPeak commented on the sequence of events that jeopardized the contract with ECCAS and expressed concern as to the level of service to be provided during this interim period as M � OCT 2 31984 - - well ae the increased costs to be incurred both for equipment and dispatch services . . Dennis Bolt , Executive Director, Regional Medical Systems , advised that five dedicated ambulance units will be in place on a 24-hour basis . He spoke of the agreement his company has reached with the operators of Antioch Ambulance Service to insure that an adequate level of emergency ambulance service is available to the residents in East County, the back-up support system that each pro- vider has agreed to follow, and the willingness of Antioch Ambulance to open a sub-station in the City of Pittsburg which will provide for a sixth dedicated unit . Mr. Bolt commented on the topography of the area, the .assignment of the dedicated units , the assignment and deployment of the advanced life support unit to Zone 6 for five days and Zone 8 for two days , the back-up coverage that will be provided by each company to the other when a dedicated unit is in service, . and concluded that in his opinion East County residents .would be better served under the proposed interim contract . Mr. Bolt urged the Board to approve the recommendation of Dr . Walker as modified . Howard Higgins , who with his wife Lorraine owns and operates Antioch Ambulance Service , spoke on the proposal under consideration and of his efforts to secure a sub-station in Pittsburg to be opera- tional within two to three weeks . Supervisor Torlakson expressed his desire to have paramedic services available throughout East County and requested Mr. Higgins to confer with representatives of the City of Antioch to see if para- medic services could be made available . In response to an inquiry of Supervisor McPeak, he suggested that Health Services staff ana- lyze the profitability potential in Zones 6, 7, and 8 during the period of evaluation of the RFP' s for two-year emergency medical service contracts . Lillian Pride , representing Los Medanos Hospital , compared the level of service provided under contract with ECCAS and the availability of paramedic services to the residents in Zone 7. She noted that if the City of Antioch had not withdrawn from the Emergency Medical Service system , full paramedic services in Zones 6, 7, and 8 would have been available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ms . Pride expressed her disappointment with the split level of para- medic service in Zones 6 and 8 with none in Zone 7. Jim Frank, Police Chief , City of Brentwood, also expressed concern with the reduced level of emergency medical services than would have been available with ECCAS. The need for advanced life support service should not be restricted to just two days a week when life threatening situations can occur at any time . In response to questions of Supervisor Torlakson , Dan Bergman , Assistant Health Services Director, advised that he would support the proposed contract modification and that in his opinion it was the best scenario proposed during this interim period . He also commented on the RFP's currently being solicited for two-year contracts for all of the County which included multiple scenarios because of the uncertainty of the user base in this entire community. Supervisor Torlakson then moved that the Board approve the staff report, approve the contract modifications requiring five dedicated ambulances , requiring a sub-station in Pittsburg by Antioch Ambulance so that they would have two units in Pittsburg, and to Include a contractual understanding that two days a week (Friday and Saturday) advanced life support paramedic service would be assigned to the Brentwood area (Zone 8) , and the remaining five days of the week assigned to the City of Pittsburg (Zone 6); the motion was seconded by Supervisor Fanden. Supervisor S. W. McPeak inquired as to the amount of money that would be expended to fund the interim contract . C . L . Van Marter , Assistant County Administrator-Human Services , advised that dispatching services cost approximately $15,000 a month ($30,000 for two months ) and an additional $8,000 to 2 11 I $10,0.00 for equipment . He suggested that the Board authorize the Health Services Department to purchase the equipment and finance it at this time from said Department's budget pending a review by the Finance Committee . On a point of order he noted that the $30,000 for dispatch services would have to be placed in the Sheriff' s budget since communications is a function of that department . Supervisors Torlakson and Fanden expressed agreement to the suggestion of Mr . Van Marter and modified the motion to include authorization for the Health Services Department to purchase the equipment and referred to the Finance Committee and County Administrator for resolution the funding mechanism for both the equipment acquisition and communication services . Supervisor R . I . Schroder advised that we would not sup- port the motion because he did not approve of the manner in which the negotiations took place; further, he did not believe that the proposed contract is in the best interest of the residents in East County. There being no further discussion , IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the motion as modified is APPROVED . cc: Health Services Director EMS Regional Medical Systems Antioch Ambulance Service County Administrator Director of Justice Systems Auditor-Controller County Counsel Sheriff-Coroner 1 hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of an action taker,and entered on the minates of the Board of Supervmwso�he ate shown. ATTESTED. —��. � PHIL BATCHELOR, Clerk of the Board at Supe"rvIisoorfs and County Administrator By , Deputy - 3 - [��