SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve the 2019 Emergency Medical Services ALS First Responder Growth Management Agreement between Pinellas County and City of Clearwater to implement EMS growth management strategies and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMS Authority) is a special district created for the purpose of providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) throughout Pinellas County, pursuant to Chapter 80-585, Laws of Florida, and Chapter 54, Article III, Pinellas County Code, as amended.
Pinellas County has contracted with various municipalities and independent special fire districts in the County to provide first responder services and has also contracted with an ambulance contractor to provide emergency and non-emergency transport services.
Due to the continued increase in EMS demands within Pinellas County, a “Data Driven Focus Group,” comprised of all City and Fire District Fire Chiefs as well as County Safety and Emergency Services staff, evaluated the response time performance and workload of ALS First Responder Units. One of the outcomes from this group was right-sizing ALS First Responder responses to low acuity calls.
Through this contract, Clearwater Fire & Rescue in conjunction with Pinellas County, Priority Dispatch Protocols will actively implement growth management strategies to reduce the EMS workload of ALS First Responder responses to certain non-life-threatening EMS incidents and partner on other growth management initiatives.
The EMS Authority will not eliminate funding for existing funded ALS First Responder Units due to the implementation of growth management strategies.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A