HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02102015 - FPD C.04RECOMMENDATION(S):
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute a contract with Cascade Healthcare Services,
LLC doing business as Cascade Training Center, in an amount not to exceed $130,000 for emergency medical
services training for first responder personnel from March 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Estimated annual cost savings of $70,800.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical incident
response services within its approximate 300 square mile service area. All District first responders (firefighters, fire
engineers, and fire captains) are licensed as either Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or Paramedics.
As such, the District has a significant responsibility to ensure its personnel obtain required continuing education
hours and infrequent skills verification to renew and recertify their EMT and Paramedic licenses.
The District has two budgeted nurse-quality improvement/educator positions. One
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 02/10/2015 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:Candace Andersen,
Director
Mary N. Piepho, Director
Karen Mitchoff, Director
Federal D. Glover, Director
ABSENT:John Gioia, Director
Contact: Ben Smith, EMS Chief
(925) 941-3513
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of
the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 10, 2015
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc:
C.4
To:Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board of Directors
From:Jeff Carman, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Date:February 10, 2015
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Contract with Cascade Healthcare Services, LLC for EMS Continuing Education
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
of those positions is assigned to manage EMS continuing education and training (“nurse educator”). That position is
funded at $158,580 in FY 2014-15 but is currently vacant.
For a number of years, EMS training was delivered by the Contra Costa County Fire Training Consortium. This
group was created to facilitate shared responsibility among fire agencies for developing curriculum and relevant
supporting material. As the economy negatively affected the fire agencies in the County, participation dwindled. For
example, the Pinole Fire Department and the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District each used to send a firefighter
to Consortium meetings but later contracted with the District to use its nurse educator to provide classroom
instruction. The Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District followed suit when their quality assurance nurse left and also
contracted with the District for classroom instruction. The El Cerrito Fire Department provides their own training,
the City of Richmond Fire Department has never participated in the Consortium, and the East Contra Costa County
Fire Protection District’s participation is extremely limited.
Currently, the District and the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District are the only active participants in the
Consortium. AMR, REACH, CALSTAR, and the Contra Costa County Health Services Department (CCCHSD)
have also been participants in the past. At present CCCHSD is the only remaining participant in this group.
Consequently, the Consortium lacks the effectiveness that it once had due to a number of factors, and the District no
longer has a nurse educator on staff.
Using contracted training instructors to conduct on-site, on-duty training appears to have several advantages. Along
with providing all required certification training, the District will have expanded access to a wide variety of required
and optional training by professional instructors. Having access to a cadre of experienced training instructors will
also allow our current quality improvement nurse to return to focusing on oversight and review of patient care and
audits of CPR annotated reports.
As indicated above, the District currently has a vacant, budgeted nurse educator position that will not be filled if this
contract is approved. Furthermore, additional savings of over $30,000 per year are anticipated due to the reduction in
overtime and course fees for personnel to attend required certification courses on non-duty days. The District also
currently uses a third party for record keeping of continuing education hours and certifications. That service will be
rolled into this contract for additional savings of approximately $10,000 per year.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The District is required ensure its EMS personnel obtain a certain number of continuing education hours and
infrequent skills verification to renew and recertify their paramedic and EMT licenses. If this contract is not
approved, the District will have to obtain other education providers and/or pay overtime and reimbursement for
course fees for employees to obtain the training on their own.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impact.