Agenda Item #14.4
For Council Meeting of: January 9, 2024
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT WESTROPE, FIRE CHIEF
FIRE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: AGREEMENT FOR FIRST RESPONDER ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AND THE SONOMA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Fire Department that the Council, by resolution, approve and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an Agreement with Sonoma County Fire District for First Responder Advanced Life Support Services, for the City to receive annual funding in the amount of $1,500,000 and future funding for Emergency Medical Service system enhancements within the City of Santa Rosa.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
To continue to enhance the delivery of emergency medical services (EMS) to the citizens of Santa Rosa, the Fire Department is currently negotiating an agreement with Sonoma County Fire District (SCY), who will be the Emergency Ground Ambulance company serving the County's Ambulance Franchise Zone (EOA-1) starting January 16, 2024. The goal has been to develop an arrangement whereby SCY funds the Fire Department’s paramedic program. The Department would continue to provide first response paramedic service by using existing engine companies and truck companies, utilizing the City’s currently employed personnel who are licensed paramedics. In exchange, SCY would be allowed to use the arrival time of Fire Department paramedic engines and trucks to meet its contractual response time requirements with the County of Sonoma.
With execution of this Agreement between the City and SCY, it will allow for the continuance of Fire Responder Advanced Life Support Services and ensure that paramedic assessment level is maintained throughout the City as it has been since 2002.
BACKGROUND
In 2002, the City entered into an agreement with American Medical Response (AMR), a private ambulance provider and the current County ambulance franchise contractor. The AMR agreement was designed to allow AMR to reduce transport resources and utilize the City’s response time arrival to meet AMR’s County contract compliance times. The AMR agreement was initially established to allow the City to provide increased services to the community through its paramedic program while AMR benefitted from the utilization of fire department units’ arrival times thus reducing the end transport costs to the customer. The initial agreement included AMR funding to the City for the upgrade of four fire engines to the paramedic assessment unit level along with a portion of the cost for an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Manager to oversee the program.
Since that time, additional funding was provided by the Roseland Fire Protection District, Measure “O” and the General Fund to upgrade all ten fire engines and two truck companies to the paramedic assessment unit level. The General Fund contribution previously funded two fire engine upgrades to the paramedic level.
In 2009, AMR was awarded the new County ground ambulance transport contract for five years, with an extension of an additional 5 years. In October 2009, the City agreed to a new AMR contract providing increased funding paid by AMR to the City from $250,000 per year to $326,000 per year. The additional AMR contract funding reduced the General Fund contribution to 1.5 fire engines and increased the funding for a full time EMS Manager position. The AMR contract also had escalators, and transport rate count increases that increased the funding since 2009. This AMR ground ambulance contract with the County initially expired in 2019, however AMR was given contract extensions to allow the County to issue a new RFP for Ground Ambulance Service. The extension of the County AMR ground ambulance agreement went into 2022. Currently the annual funding AMR provides to the City under the AMR-City agreement is $605,844.
In January 2022 the County started an RFP process for all proposers interested in providing Emergency Ground Ambulance service in EOA-1. On April 23, 2023 Sonoma County Fire District was awarded the contract to provide Emergency Ground Ambulance in EOA-1. The AMR Ground Ambulance Contract will end on January 15, 2024 at 00:00:00 hours. The Ground Ambulance Contract with Sonoma County Fire District will be effective on January 16, 2024 at 00:00:01. There will be no gap in Ground Ambulance service during the transition.
Included to the new County-Sonoma County Fire District Emergency Ground Ambulance contract is a provision for the Sonoma County Fire District and the City to negotiate a First Responders Advanced Life support with the City of Santa Rosa.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not Applicable.
ANALYSIS
The proposed Agreement with Sonoma County Fire District for First Responder Advanced Life Support Services will further enhance the EMS system in the City, bring in an increase of revenue to fund the EMS program, allow better transparency of system management and deployment, and will provide the City an opportunity to build EMS system enhancements into the future. Notable elements of the new FRALS Agreement with Sonoma County Fire District include:
$1.5 million in annual compensation to the City from the District for the City’s FRALS program, with increases in compensation to the City tracking increases that Sonoma County Fire District receives under its Ground Ambulance Contract.
An agreement term of five years, with a City option to renew, which tracks the District’s Ground Ambulance Contract with the County.
More clearly defined roles, responsibilities and enforceable performance obligations in EMS delivery that are reciprocal for both the City and the County.
Incorporation of key elements of the County-District ground ambulance contract into the City’s FRALS Agreement.
Opportunity for the City to provide its own Medical Director and CQI Program.
Clear goals related to data sharing and collaboration between public agencies.
Provides for the City and District to continue to explore opportunities to collaborate to improve and expand delivery of EMS within City Limits.
The FRALS Agreement is designed to ensure that the City retains control of its resources within City limits to best deploy them as needed for both EMS Service and Fire Service, to secure full cost recovery for the City’s paramedic program, and to memorialize and build opportunities to cooperate and partner with Sonoma County Fire District, as another public provider to deliver EMS service to City residents.
FISCAL IMPACT
This agreement will generate revenue into the City over the life of the Emergency Ground Ambulance contract. An estimated $1,500,000 will be generated annually, with CPI and rate adjustments Sonoma County Fire District receives over the life of the contract. Both Partners are also working on system enhancements to improve EMS delivery which will generate revenue.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)3, because there is no possibility that the action may have a significant effect on the environment and therefore is not subject to CEQA.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution / Exhibit A - Agreement
PRESENTER
Scott Westrope
Fire Chief
AGREEMENT FOR FIRST RESPONDER ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AND THE SONOMA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT PAGE 3 OF 4