Title
Resolution to Approve Fees for the Fire Department Ambulance Transport with Advanced Life Support (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
At the July 6, 2026 City Council meeting, a two-year Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance services contract was approved with Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA) (R-26-264). The Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) ambulances are licensed as Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances and are staffed by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). The contract between the City and HVA provides for Advanced Life Support ambulances staffed by paramedics.
Paramedics provide a higher level of pre-hospital medical care than EMTs and are authorized to perform advanced medical procedures, including starting intravenous (IV) lines, cardiac monitoring, advanced airway procedures, and administering medications beyond the scope of EMT licensure. For patients experiencing critical medical conditions, such as cardiac emergencies, paramedics are able to provide a higher level of care.
Often, an AAFD ambulance arrives on scene before the HVA ALS ambulance. Due to weather or other environmental factors, AAFD personnel may quickly load the patient into the AAFD ambulance. This provides the patient with privacy and creates a controlled environment for patient assessment and treatment. When the HVA paramedic arrives, they transfer their cardiac monitor and other necessary equipment to the AAFD ambulance. The AAFD ambulance then transports the patient and HVA paramedic to the hospital. This allows the HVA paramedic to provide advanced life support care during transport. This process is commonly referred to within the emergency medical services industry as an "ALS intercept."
Due to insurance and ambulance billing requirements, only the agency that performs the patient transport can invoice the patient for the transport. Therefore, AAFD must invoice the patient for the ALS care provided by the HVA paramedic. This is a standard circumstance encountered in similar pre-hospit...
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