HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCRes_99-19No. 99-19
• CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION
Date: September 1, 1999
Resolution Discontinuing the Falcon Heights Basic Life Support (BLS)
Ambulance License
Whereas, since 1949 the city of Falcon Heights has been well served by its volunteer fire department;
and
Whereas, since 1978 the Falcon Heights community was well served by one ambulance service, the
Falcon Heights basic life support (BLS) ambulance service provided by committed fire department
volunteers, who were trained as emergency medical technicians and first responders and;
Whereas, in June, 1996 the city's emergency medical director at Regions EMS services said that the
Falcon Heights BLS/emergency medical technician ambulance was no longer adequate as the only
ambulance responding from the point of the 911 call for the Falcon Heights community; and
.Whereas, the medical director directed Falcon Heights to find an advanced life support
(ALS)lparamedic ambulance service to be available to respond to emergency medical calls from the
911 call; and
Whereas, the residents, visitors and workers in Falcon Heights need a highly trained, quick and
consistent response to medical emergencies from an ambulance service with ALS/paramedic
capabilities staffed 24 hours a day as the minimum EMS service delivery model in the community; and
Whereas, since 1997, this ALS service has been and continues to be available from St. Paul at a cost to
tl~e patient not the city; and
Whereas, Falcon Heights is within the primary service area for the St. Paul ALS license;and
Whereas, the Falcon Heights BLS ambulance service, provided by committed volunteer firefighters
trained as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and first responders, provides a desirable alternate
response to medical emergencies where the patients clearly do not require the training and skills of
paramedics on the scene as long as it is self-supporting and maintains a high quality; and
Whereas, the Falcon Heights BLS ambulance call and transport numbers declined with the addition of
an ALS service to the city's emergency medical response model; and
Whereas, the reduced number of transports by the Falcon Heights BLS service results in less revenue
to cover costs of the service; and
Whereas, the Falcon Heights BLS ambulance is structured as an enterprise fund to be self-supporting;
• and
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Whereas, the rescue (EMS) fund that accounts for the financial records of the Falcon Heights BLS
ambulance service shows a loss of $38,000 for the past four years, $27,115 for 1998 and is projected to
lose $27,504 over the next four years; and
Whereas, the continued net loss of the rescue (EMS) fund jeopardizes the potential for continuing to
provide a quality BLS service in addition to the ALS service provided by St. Paul; and
Whereas, the city auditor alerted the city council to the financial trends of the rescue (EMS) fund; and
Whereas, the city maintains a healthy financial profile because it anticipates potential financial
problems and manages them before the city's financial position is weakened and citizens'tax dollars
are unnecessarily used; and
Whereas, St. Paul has the capacity to provide an ALS/paramedic response to medical emergencies in
Falcon Heights and Lauderdale at a charge to the patient; and
Whereas, the Falcon Heights fire department continues to efficiently and effectively provide fire
protection and standard fire department services (e.g. traffic control, scene clean-up) to the scene of
medical emergencies to Falcon Heights and Lauderdale;
Therefore, be it resolved by the city council of Falcon Heights, that the Falcon Heights fire department
• discontinue its BLS ambulance license and serving its primary service area of Falcon Heights and
Lauderdale effective 12:01 AM on October 18, 1999 and that St. Paul provide service to all medical
emergencies as of this date and time.
Moved by: Gibson Talbot
GEHRZ (absent) 4 In Favor
GIBBON TALBOT
HUSTAD
JACOBS 0 Against
KUETTEL
Approved by: v-°
'Acting Mayor
September 1, 1999
Date
Attested by:
City lerk
September 1.1999
Date
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