EMS Budgetary Update March 22, 2016 at Council Workshop

There will be a review of the Emergency Medical Services, aka, the city operated ambulance service. It will ostensibly include performance metrics relating to the efficacy of the service. It should also include financial metrics, including total expenditures to date to start the city operated service.

The city has identified start-up capital costs of $1,003,092.84 which includes five ambulances, four active and one backup. It also includes some equipment like cardiac monitors, defibrillators and stretchers. Many of these requirements were funded by issuing Certificate Obligations, otherwise known as bonds.

It is unclear if the $450,000 that was provided by the general fund for start-up costs is included, but, it is supposed to be paid back to the general fund.

Other items to watch for are:

1.  Emergency medical supplies approved at the 11-24-15 council meeting, $250,000

2.  Emergency medical supplies approved at the 3-8-2016 council meeting, $275,000

3.  Total costs of 15 paramedics including benefits

4.  New laptops for the paramedics and associated maintenance costs

5.  One additional diesel mechanic to service ambulances, salary plus benefits

6.  The total cost of the city employed medical doctor who certifies the EMS program

7. Bond repayment costs, annual, and total over the bonds life

One of the savings identified during the advocacy for the city to start its own ambulance service would be a significant reduction in the dispatch of the “Big Red” fire trucks for medical emergencies. Thus it is expected that the reduction in fire truck dispatch and the associated cost savings will be presented to offset some of the start-up and on-going costs.