Fire Department Emergency Medical Services
Annual Report
Public Safety, Finance and Strategic Support Committee
February 19, 2026
Item (d)3
Presented by:
Robert Sapien, Jr., Fire Chief, Fire Department
Steve Boughey, Deputy Fire Chief, Bureau of EMS & Training Fire Department ALS & Ambulance Transport Services
Rescue Medics
• 3 Rescue Medics in service 24/7
• 8 Available in Fleet
• 2-Responders/ALS
Engine, Truck, US&R, ARFF
• 34 Fire Stations
• 33 Engines, 9 Trucks, 1 ARFF, 1 US&R
• 4-Responders/ALS
2 First Responder EMS Protocol for ALS Services*
9-1-1 request is
received for
Emergency
Medical Services
Fire & Ambulance
Dispatched for
Advance Life
Support Services /
Dispatcher Prearrival Instructions
Initiated
Firefighter/
Paramedic arrives
and provides
treatment
Firefighter/Paramedic
retains patient care
for exigent transport
to Emergency
Department
Transfers care to
Ambulance for
transport to
Emergency
Department
*Nurse Navigation
3 First Responder EMS Protocol for ALS Services*
Nurse Navigation: Under Nurse Navigation, 9-1-1 callers may be transferred to a telehealth nurse, or responders on scene may refer patients to the telehealth nurse.
Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services Agency conducted its Nurse Navigator pilot from November 13, 2024 to August 31, 2025, in southwestern areas of the County. The agency's Nurse Navigator Pilot Program Closure Report (October 7, 2025) provided that approximately 1% of 9-1-1 calls were transferred to Nurse Navigator (197 of 18,754) with approximately .89% ultimately handled by Nurse Navigator (166 of 18,754) with 31 callers declining Nurse Navigator and 3 returning to 9-1-1.
4 Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Incident Type Distribution
• Fire-based first responder
EMS is an essential
component to prehospital
care
• 111,373 unique calls for
service
• 68,492 (or 61%) “Medical
Only” emergencies
68,492, 61%
12,966, 12%
11,106, 10%
6,487, 6%
6,295, 6%
4,804, 4% 1,223, 1% Medical Only
Other SJFD calls
(unclassified)
Good Intent Or
Service
No incident, wrong
location, cancelled
en-route
Rescue, Haz-Mat,
USAR & Non-Fire
hazards
Fires
False Alarm / False
Call
5 Major Observations on Patient Primary Impressions
FY 24-25 Call Type Analysis
• Traumatic Injuries make up approx. 16.7% of Total
EMS Calls
• Abdominal Pain increased by 111%
• Overdose/Poisoning decreased by 33%
• Alcohol decreased by 19%
• No significant changes in General Weakness,
ALOC (Altered Level of Consciousness), and Chest
Pain
16.7%
83.3%
Traumatic Injury Total
6 Fiscal Year 2024-2025 BLS Escorts & ALS Transports
• Greater frequency in
Department-assisted transports
due to County’s contracted
ambulance unavailability
• 1,518 Rescue Medic Transports
• 2,132 BLS Ambulance Escorts
• 66% increase in SDO 10/11
Activation Minutes
64 69
96 79 75
120
127
73 92
57 38 32
117
138
134
124
105
128
129
97 130
143
133
110
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
Jul-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Rescue Medic Transports BLS Ambulance Escorts
7 Mobile Integrated Health/Community Paramedicine
• “Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) is a patient-centered, innovative delivery model offering on-demand, needs-based care and preventive services, delivered in the patient's home or mobile environment.” (National Institutes of Health (NIH))
• "Community Paramedicine Program” means a program developed by a local EMS agency and approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority to provide community paramedicine services consisting of one or more program specialties, under the direction of medical protocols developed by the local EMS agency that are consistent with the minimum medical protocols established by the authority.
8 Mobile Integrated Health/Community Paramedicine
Community Paramedic response to 9-1-1 calls determined to be non-emergent through dispatcher triage or field paramedic referral to connect patients with appropriate health care and social services providers.
Program Highlights
•Advanced Life Support level of care is uncompromised
•Operates under Emergency Medical Services Agency Medical Director protocols •Can deliver specialized community-based care beyond emergency response •Reduces 9-1-1 service demand on emergency response resources and hospital emergency departments
•Connects patients with appropriate definitive care and reduces system costs 9 Continuous Public Information / Education
10 Fire Department Emergency Medical Services Annual Report Public Safety, Finance and Strategic Support Committee
February 19, 2026
Item (d)3
Questions?
Robert Sapien, Jr., Fire Chief
Fire Department
Steve Boughey, Deputy Fire Chief
Bureau of EMS & Training
11