City Council Meeting
November 21, 2023
Award of Professional Services Agreement with Falck Mobile Health Corp.for Emergency Basic Life Support Ambulance Services
Background Information
Service Agreement History
Falck Mobile Health Corp. has served as City’s ambulance provider since 2003.
June 6, 2018: Five-year agreement with Care Ambulance Service, now known as Falck. Agreement concluded June 30, 2023.
Agreement extended through December 31, 2023 to allow for further evaluation.
Request for Proposal (RFP) #2324-01 Process
July 31, 2023: RFP issued for new Emergency BLS Ambulance Services.
September 11, 2023: Notice of Intent to Award to Falck.
Request for Proposal #2324-01
Changes introduced in RFP #2324-01:
Pricing: $85.00 Unit Hour Cost in Year 1 ($90.00 in Year 2, $95.00 in Year 3). Includes Second-Tier Mutual Aid Service (“Surge” Ambulances).
Provision of a 4th ambulance unit at Fire Station No. 1 12-hour shift between 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily.
New ambulance branding (red exterior, Fullerton Fire Department emblem, and ambulance fire station designation).
Technological enhancements: new Mobile Data Computer (MDC) units that interface with Metro Net Dispatch for location tracking and deployment optimization.
Request for Proposal #2324-01
Total Dispatch Volume (10/2021 – 10/2023)
Dispatch Volume By Ambulance Unit
Rank
Agency
Unit
Event #
Rank
Agency
Unit
Event #
1 ANAHEIM
AA1
11,219
12 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET45
6,904
2 ANAHEIM
AA3
11,092
13 ORANGE
OR1
6,796
3 ANAHEIM
AA6
10,866
14 ANAHEIM
AA9
6,400
4 ANAHEIM
AA2
10,607
15 FOUNTAIN VALLEY
VA31
6,142
5 FULLERTON
FA1
9,813
16 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET41
6088
6 ANAHEIM
AA11
9,218
17 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET42
5861
7 ANAHEIM
AA5
8,066
18 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET241
5685
8 NEWPORT BEACH
NM62
7,525
19 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET44
5561
9 FULLERTON
FA3
7,334
20 ORANGE
OR6
5430
10 NEWPORT BEACH
NM63
7,294
21 ORANGE
OR4
5424
11 FULLERTON
FA6
7,168
22 NEWPORT BEACH
NM65
5405
12 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET45
6,904
23 HUNTINGTON BEACH
HET46
5101
Hourly Dispatch Volume (10/2021 – 10/2023)
Calls dispatched as ALS/BLS only. Ambulance units also respond to other incidents (e.g., structure fire).
Average Medical Incidents By Hour
Hour
Medical Incidents
Hour
Medical Incidents
12:00 AM
1.026
12:00 PM
1.894
1:00 AM
0.930
1:00 PM
1.812
2:00 AM
0.897
2:00 PM
1.831
3:00 AM
0.641
3:00 PM
1.816
4:00 AM
0.623
4:00 PM
1.848
5:00 AM
0.672
5:00 PM
1.808
6:00 AM
0.745
6:00 PM
1.770
7:00 AM
1.118
7:00 PM
1.623
8:00 AM
1.442
8:00 PM
1.556
9:00 AM
1.621
9:00 PM
1.501
10:00 AM
1.785
10:00 PM
1.199
11:00 AM
1.866
11:00 PM
1.114
Impact of the Fourth Ambulance Unit
Fire Department analysis on predicted response times estimates an aggregate improvement of up to 12% in average response times.
Ambulance Unit
Workload
FA1
-1460
FA3
-913
FA6
-511
Fiscal Impact - Revenues
The proposed PSA facilitates the City’s continued administration of the corresponding program for Ambulance Billing.
The Ambulance Billing Program ranks as the fourth highest contributor to the General Fund behind property and sales taxes. Staff anticipates an incremental year-over-year increase in revenues for FY 2023-2024.
General Fund Revenue for FY 2021-2022 + 2022-2023
Revenue Source
FY 2021-2022
FY 2022-2023
Total Revenue
Property Taxes
$33.41M
$34.96M
$68.37M
Sales and Use Tax
$29.29M
$30.62M
$59.91M
Property Taxes in Lieu of VLF
$15.61M
$16.56M
$32.17M
Ambulance Billing Program
$4.34M
$5.33M
$9.67M
Franchise Fees
$4.27M
$4.78M
$9.05M
Fiscal Impact - Options
Options for Council Consideration
July 1, 2024
Jan 1, 2024
No Expansion
Year 1 Proposed Agreement
$2.42 Million
$2.61 Million
$2.24 Million
July to December 2023 Expenditures
$1.47 Million
$1.47 Million
$1.47 Million
January to July 2024 Expenditures
$1.11 Million
$1.29 Million
$1.11 Million
FY 2023-2024 Total (including current extensions)
$2.58 Million
$2.76 Million
$2.58 Million
Current FY 2023-2024 Budget Allocation
$2.39 Million
$2.39 Million
$2.39 Million
FY 2023-2024 Budget Appropriation
$191,340
$376,980
$191,340
Future Considerations
Within the duration of the agreement, the Fire Department intends to closely examine the viability of an internal ambulance program staffed by the City.
An in-house program has numerous potential advantages, including cost, future price stability, operational efficiencies, and provides a potential candidate pool for internal Firefighter recruitment.
Recommendations
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute and administer a Professional Services Agreement with Falck Mobile Health Corp. and related documents, and options to renew, including the expansion of Emergency Basic Life Support Ambulance Services on July 1, 2024.
Approve $191,340 budget appropriation from available General Fund (Fund 10) fund balance to Fire Department Fire EMS Program (Subprogram 246).
Questions?