Title
Resolution to Renew 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 Renewal of the Professional Services Agreement with Huron Valley Ambulance, Inc. (HVA) for the Provision of a Basic Life Support Ambulance (“Agreement”).
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and other reasons, HVA continues to face a significant staffing crisis with a shortage of licensed emergency medical technicians (EMTs) available to staff its ambulances in Washtenaw County, including the City of Ann Arbor (“City”). 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. The City is ready, willing, and able to continue to provide licensed EMTs employed by the City to staff one HVA ambulance for its exclusive use.
All City of Ann Arbor firefighters are also licensed emergency medical technicians (basic life support), and the Ann Arbor Fire Department (“Fire Department”) is also already as a basic life support agency. This Agreement makes available a basic life support transport ambulance to transport patients when HVA has no units available.
This is a renewal of the original six-month agreement. During the first six-month term, this ambulance has transported 26 patients without negative impact to other Fire Department operations.
Either the City or HVA is able to terminate this Agreement with 24-hours’ notice. The Fire Department is separately requesting funding to purchase a City-owned ambulance and to become independently licensed as basic life support transport, at which time the City would terminate this Agreement.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: This ambulance will be staffed with firefighters who are normally assigned to a light-rescue non-transport vehicle each day. There is no additional staffing requested as part of this continuing 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 is able to 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.
Staff
Prepared by: Chantel Jackson, Office Administrator - Fire
Reviewed by: Mike Kennedy, Fire Chief
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and other reasons, HVA is facing a significant staffing crisis with 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;
Whereas, The City has conducted a six-month trial using firefighter / EMTs employed by the City to staff one HVA ambulance for its exclusive use and is requesting a renewal of that six-month trial agreement;
Whereas, During the six-month trial, the Fire Department transported 26 patients without adverse impact to other Fire Department operations;
Whereas, Pursuant to its terms, the City or HVA may terminate the Agreement with 24-hours’ notice. The Fire Department is separately requesting funding to purchase a City-owned ambulance and become independently licensed as basic life support transport, at which time the City could terminate this Agreement; 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, That Council approves the Renewal of the Professional Services Agreement with Huron Valley Ambulance, Inc. for the Provision of a Basic Life Support Ambulance;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the 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.