Title
Resolution to Approve the Professional Services Agreement with Huron Valley Ambulance, Inc. for the Provision of a Basic Life Support Ambulance
Memorandum
We recommend your approval of the attached Professional Services Agreement with Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA), Inc. for the provision of a basic life support ambulance. This agreement is the result of several months of work between the City and HVA. This agreement is the first of its kind for the City and Washtenaw County.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and other reasons, HVA is facing a significant staffing crisis due to a shortage of licensed emergency medical technicians (EMTs) available to staff its ambulances in Washtenaw County, including the City of Ann Arbor. To promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public, the City desires to ensure the provision of timely ambulance services within Washtenaw County, including the City of Ann Arbor. The City is ready, willing, and able to provide licensed EMTs employed by the City to staff one HVA ambulance for its exclusive use.
All City of Ann Arbor firefighters are licensed emergency medical technicians (basic life support) and the Ann Arbor Fire Department is already a basic life support agency. The difference with this agreement is the availability of a basic life support transport ambulance to transport patients when HVA has no units available.
This is a six-month trial agreement with the City or HVA being able to terminate the agreement with 24-hours’ notice. During this trial, each transport will be tracked and routine feedback will be provided from the Fire Chief to the City Administrator. This trial allows the City to determine the impact to fire department operations with operating a transport unit without having to purchase an ambulance for a trial program.
HVA is a non-union corporation, and the City’s IAFF union members will be transporting patients that will generate revenue for HVA during this trial. The IAFF union has agreed to this arrangement on a temporary trial basis only. Should the City decide to operate a transport ambulance indefinitely, the City will need to become independently licensed as a basic life support transport agency and purchase its own fire department ambulance ($300,000).
Budget/Fiscal Impact: This unit will be staffed with firefighters who are normally assigned to a light-rescue non-transport vehicle each day. There is no additional staffing being requested as part of this trial. The collective bargaining agreement with the IAFF 693 does stipulate that personnel assigned to a transport vehicle will receive a 3.75% increase to their hourly rate for hours worked on this unit. The fire department can cover this increase within the allocated budget.
HVA shall pay the City One Hundred and Twenty-Five Dollars ($125.00) for each completed transport of a patient, regardless of HVA’s reimbursement. This funding shall be used to offset the 3.75% employee hourly increase.
Should the City eventually decide to become independently licensed as basic life support transport agency and purchase its own fire department ambulance, the City would be able to bill transports independently which is estimated to be approximately $200.00 per transport based on insurance reimbursement rates.
Staff
Prepared by: Chantel Jackson, Office Administrator - Fire
Reviewed by: Mike Kennedy, Fire Chief
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and other reasons, HVA is facing a significant staffing crisis due to a shortage of licensed emergency medical technicians (EMTs) available to staff its ambulances in Washtenaw County, including the City of Ann Arbor;
Whereas, To promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public, the City desires to ensure the provision of timely ambulance services within Washtenaw County, including the City of Ann Arbor. The City is ready, willing, and able to provide licensed EMTs employed by the City to staff one HVA ambulance for its exclusive use;
Whereas, This is a six-month trial agreement with the City or HVA being able to terminate the agreement with 24-hours’ notice. During this trial, each transport will be tracked and routine feedback will be provided from the Fire Chief to the City Administrator; and
Whereas, HVA shall pay the City One Hundred and Twenty-Five Dollars ($125.00) for each completed transport of a patient, regardless of HVA’s reimbursement;
RESOLVED, The City Council approve the professional services agreement with Huron Valley Ambulance, Inc. for the provision of a basic life support ambulance;
RESOLVED, That that Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the professional services agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.