City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2025 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: FIRE DEPARTMENT PARAMEDIC EQUIPMENT REFRESH ACCOUNT- FUND TRANSFER AND SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000 ISSUE:
Authorize a supplemental appropriation of the Paramedic Equipment Refresh 720 account in the amount of $30,000 from the Special Deposit Account and appropriate expenditures to the Fire Department Operations Professional Services account, for the Paramedic Program medical consulting services.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record a transfer from the Special Deposits Fund, Equipment Refresh Fire account to the General Fund in the amount of $30,000 and appropriate expenditures of the same amount in the General Fund, Fire Operations Professional Services account.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside Fire Department (RFD) is required to have a Medical Director to oversee its medical program. Under the current arrangement, the City fulfills this requirement through a contract with American Medical Response (AMR), which provides a Medical Director shared across multiple agencies. As a result, the Fire Department does not have its own dedicated Medical Director. While RFD maintains strong relationships with local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies and healthcare partners, the lack of a department-specific Medical Director limits its ability to ensure consistent clinical oversight, centralized quality improvement, and strategic medical leadership. Relying on an external provider for medical direction creates challenges in delivering City-specific EMS direction and oversight, performance evaluation, and training alignment—making it difficult to maintain a fully integrated, agile, and forward-looking EMS system tailored specifically to the needs of the City and its residents.
DISCUSSION:
Establishing a dedicated Medical Director for the RFD would significantly enhance the department’s ability to deliver high-quality, consistent, and progressive EMS. With in-house clinical leadership, the department would gain direct oversight of EMS operations, enabling more agile and effective decision-making, improved coordination with healthcare partners, and stronger alignment with best practices in pre-hospital care. This role would be instrumental in advancing clinical excellence, supporting innovation in service delivery, and reinforcing public trust in the City’s emergency response system. The Riverside Fire Department would like to utilize the consultant services of a Medical Doctor using funds from the American Medical Response 720 Special Deposits Account.
The Medical Director would play a crucial leadership role in supporting and enhancing the department’s EMS operations. This position would assist in overseeing the delivery of EMS across the organization, ensuring that all patient care provided in the field meets the highest standards of clinical practice. In collaboration with the EMS Captain and EMS Coordinator, the Medical Director would help to develop and maintain comprehensive EMS training programs and curricula that reflect the latest advancements in pre-hospital medicine and align with department protocols.
A key component of the Medical Director’s responsibilities would involve supervising and evaluating all aspects of the EMS Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Program. This includes reviewing patient care documentation, identifying trends in performance, and recommending improvements to ensure safe, effective, and consistent service delivery. The Medical Director would also serve as a primary liaison between the Fire Department, the broader emergency medical community, and the Riverside County EMS Agency (REMSA), facilitating communication and collaboration on regional protocols, training standards, and system-wide initiatives.
Additionally, the Medical Director would oversee the procurement, management, and secure handling of pharmacological agents and controlled substances used in the field. This includes ensuring proper inventory control, compliance with DEA regulations, and adherence to best practices in medication administration. The role would also involve ensuring that all EMS operations remain in full compliance with local, state, and federal EMS regulations, and that department policies and procedures are regularly updated to reflect changes in clinical and regulatory standards.
To further improve system performance, the Medical Director would monitor and analyze EMS performance metrics, using data-driven insights to guide improvements in service delivery and patient outcomes. They would contribute to the development and refinement of department policies and procedures related to EMS operations, training, and quality assurance. Moreover, the Medical Director would support continuing education by helping to create and deliver advanced training opportunities for EMS personnel, ensuring they remain current in their knowledge and skills. Finally, this role would strengthen the department’s integration with local hospitals and healthcare providers, improving the transition of care from field to facility and reinforcing the overall continuity and quality of patient care within the City of Riverside.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of this action is an expenditure of $30,000, fully offset by special deposit funds. Upon Council approval, a transfer will be recorded from the Special Deposits Fund, Equipment Refresh Fire account 0000720-225891 and appropriated in the General Fund, Fire Operations Professional Services account 3510000-421000.
Prepared by: Brian Guzzetta, Deputy Fire Chief
Approved by: Steve McKinster, Fire Chief
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/ Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez , Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Medical Director ● Page 2