Report Prepared by: Janet German, Secretary III, Fire Dept.
Title
SUBJECT: Report - Update on Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and Direction on Next Steps to Evaluate the Potential of Implementing Various Levels of Advanced Life Support within the City of Merced
REPORT IN BRIEF
Provide City Council with an update on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and obtain direction on next steps in evaluating the potential of implementing various levels of Advanced Life Support within the City of Merced.
RECOMMENDATION
Provide staff direction on next steps related to Advance Life Support implementation.
Body
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
This action is consistent with the city’s operating principal to promote Public Safety.
DISCUSSION
The future of the fire service is being driven by changes in society. These changes include new expectations of our stakeholders and fire personnel such as greater accountability for the use of public resources and improving the overall efficiency of programs and services. To continue to be ever vigilant, the Merced Fire Department has prepared a presentation to review its current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) mission against its current demands.
In 2018, the City of Merced Fire Department responded to over 9,600 calls for service. 6,122 of those calls were directly associated to an EMS type of incident or 64% of our total call volume. Over 54% of the time, the MFD arrives at scene before the ambulance company and has the ability to administer emergency medical services in hopes of a positive patient outcome.
As fire departments throughout the United States evaluate their current EMS delivery models, many of them focus exclusively on transportation of the patient and the associated issues with patient off load times and other challenges beyond the fire departments control. The MFD is currently focused around analyzing how increasing the level of EMS service and providing rapid medical intervention will increase patient outcomes.
While there are many benefits to increasing the level of service provided by the fire department to our community, there are also fiscal challenges/impacts associated with an increase in care. The MFD seeks City Council’s direction as to further evaluation and potential next steps in the implementation of expanding the current EMS service delivery model.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Advanced Life Support Slideshow Presentation