4/5/2024
1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee
April 17,2024
Ambulance Franchise Update
on Ambulance Time Times
Fire Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 Riverside Municipal Code 5.66 “Ambulances”:
o Outlines how the City of Riverside Fire Department manages Franchise (911), and Interfacility Transports (IFT) ambulance transports within its jurisdiction. Riverside County Emergency Medical Services Agency (REMSA):
o REMSA and American Medical Response entered into a County-wide agreement in 2015 to provide Advance Life Support ambulance services, which made AMR the solo ALS provider for Riverside County.
City of Riverside and American Medical Response:
o City of Riverside & AMR 2018 Franchise was extended on November 8, 2023. The new contract negations are near completion and anticipated to be finalized by May 2024.
Legislative History & Background
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4/5/2024
2 RiversideCA.gov
3 The AMR Operational Contract is currently in the final stages of negotiations between the City of Riverside and AMR.
Overview/highlights of the new Operational Contract.
1. Term: The new Franchise and Operational Contract will be in effect for three (3) years from the date of signing.
2. Ambulance Deployment:
• 2018 Operational contract: "System Status." The model is based on meeting response times of 90%. No ambulances are dedicated to the City of Riverside. • 2024 Operational contract: AMR will continue with "System Status“ and will be City of Riverside Fire Stations. Fire Station 1, Fire Station 3, Fire Station 5, and Fire Station 12.
AMR Franchise / Operational Contract
RiversideCA.gov
4 Overview/highlights of the new Operational Contract.
2. Ambulance Deployment continued.
• The City of Riverside Fire Department will begin Tier Dispatching. Right resource will be sent to the 911 incident. The Fire Department and AMR responding will respond with lights and sirens (code 3) and the fire Department and AMR responding without lights and sirens (code 2). • CAD-to-CAD: The City of Riverside and AMR will coordinate a CAD-to-CAD data transfer to help with the Fire Department and AMR ambulance information exchange. • First Watch: AMR will feed response data to First Watch Online Compliance Utility Module (OCU) and any associated response dashboards to help the City of Riverside monitor compliance.
AMR Franchise / Operational Contract cont.
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4/5/2024
3 RiversideCA.gov
5 3. Contract Financials:
• AMR will pay the City of Riverside one hundred and sixty-five thousand, two hundred and twenty-four dollars, and eleven cents ($165,224.11) per month. The fee shall increase by 3%. • AMR will pay $1,800.00 per month per Fire Station for using the City of Riverside Fire Stations. • AMR will pay $30,000 annually to reimburse the City of Riverside for equipment that supports the restocking of EMS supplies.
• AMR will pay one hundred and forty-four thousand, eight hundred and twenty-one dollars, and thirty-five cents ($144,821.35) per year for a Dispatch Emergency Medical Dispatch Coordinator.
AMR Franchise / Operational Contract cont.
RiversideCA.gov
6 4. Contract Penalties :
• AMR ALS ambulances shall arrive on scene in eleven (11) minutes and fifty-nine (59) seconds or less; at least ninety percent (90%) of the time or fees will be assessed. • AMR BLS ambulances shall arrive on scene in twenty (20) minutes and fifty-nine (59) seconds or less, at least ninety percent (90%) of the time, or fees will be assessed. • Three hundred sixty dollars ($360.00) for the ambulance crew's failure to report their arrival at the scene, and the at-scene time is not verifiable by other reliable means. • Five hundred dollars ($500.00) for any incident when ARM refers a call to a Basic Life Support Unit (BLS), except expressly permitted by the City in the RFD EMD MPDS PROTOCOL MATRIX- City of Riverside.
AMR Franchise / Operational Contract cont.
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4 RiversideCA.gov
7 Riverside City Subzone:
o Within the Riverside Zone, AMR did not meet the 90% adjusted compliance for March, April, and May 2023.
o AMR was non-compliant with the Advanced Life Support (ALS) mandate, sending Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances to ALS level calls, which is outside of the current 2018 ALS First Responder Agreement (AMR & City of Riverside). FY2023: Two (2) BLS ambulances responded in the City of Riverside requiring a City of Riverside Fire Department paramedic to provide ALS care.
Discussion / Response Time Review
May 2023April 2023March 2023
309830013058Total EMS Responses
27882701275290% Response Compliant
31030030610% Response
Non‐Compliant
RiversideCA.gov
8 City of Riverside Contract Review:
o Breach of Contract Letter:
February 23, 2024, Breach of Contract letter was sent to AMR due to delayed response for March, April and May 2024.
o AMR non-compliant with the Advance Life Support (ALS) mandate, sending BLS ambulances to ALS level calls, which is outside of the current 2018 ALS First Responder Agreement.
2024 Operational Agreement:
o February 27, 2024, Fire started receiving AMR’s Response Time Compliance Summary through First Watch. Allows for quick monitoring of response times. o February 2024 Compliance Summary
Discussion / Response Time Review cont.
Contract
Comp%
ComplianceChargeable
Late
Responses
Exemptions
Approved
Exemptions
Requested
RAW
Compliance
RAW Gross
Exceptions
Total
Volume
90.0%92.30%189545488.59%2802454
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5 RiversideCA.gov
9 Strategic Priorities:
o Strategic Priority Number 2: Community Well-Being
• Goal 2.6 – Strengthen community preparedness for emergencies to ensure effective response and recovery.
Fiscal Impact:
o There is no fiscal impact associated with this update.
Strategic Plan Alignment / Fiscal Impact
RiversideCA.gov
10 That the Safety, Youth and Wellness Committee:
1. Consider the information contained i n this report regarding an update on the proposed Operational contract with AMR; and
2. Consider the information contained in thi s report regarding AMR’s compliance metrics including response times.
Recommendations
9 10