San Diego continues outsourcing ambulance service

[Rettungswagen 17]

The push by former Mayor Bob Filner to end the outsourcing of the city’s ambulance service and have it run by the Fire-Rescue Department has been shelved by interim Mayor Todd Gloria.

 

Gloria, who took over after Filner resigned Aug. 30 because of misconduct toward women, has proposed renewing the city’s current contract with Rural/Metro Corp. for an additional year and then putting a new five-year ambulance contract up for competitive bid. That request-for-proposals, however, wouldn’t allow city firefighters to submit a bid because top fire officials were heavily involved in creating the RFP.

 

 

 

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/oct/30/sd-continues-outsourcing-ambulance-service/

[x635 31]

It sounds ridiculous why the FD can't take over. The politics of it seem a little crazy. How hard is it to let FD provide EMS without all this other nonsense saying they can't because of this or that.

[Generic 6]

Due to California law, SDFR may not be able to just take over the ambulance service. They would have to bid like all of the other ambulance companies.

Section 1797.201 of the Health and Safety Code states: "Upon the request of a city or fire district that contracted for or provided, as of June 1, 1980, prehospital emergency medical services, a county shall enter into a written agreement with the city or fire district regarding the provision of prehospital emergency medical services for that city or fire district. Until such time that an agreement is reached, prehospital emergency medical services shall be continued at not less than the existing level, and the administration of prehospital EMS by cities and fire districts presently providing such services shall be retained by those cities and fire districts, except the level of prehospital EMS may be reduced where the city council, or the governing body of a fire district, pursuant to a public hearing, determines that the reduction is necessary."

Hence, fire departments who have provided a level of EMS service since June 1, 1980 can continue to provide that same level of service until such time the fire department enters into a formal agreement with the county of a defined level of service.

[joeyk48 25]

generic is correct, they must bid on the service just the same as everybody else .another factor to consider is budget, correct me if i'm wrong but isn't san diego having budget problems like most cities. if they were selected to provide service, they now must purchase  somewhere around 30-40 rigs and several reserves, equip them locate them. then where do you get the manpower to staff these rigs, reduce 4 man rigs to 3 man, that's a sore issue with unions. it is just very hard to start up a service like that when there are already resources in place to handle it

[E0001 62]

And SDFD cannot bid on it because they helped craft the RFP.

[Generic 6]

And SDFD cannot bid on it because they helped craft the RFP.

Well, they could if they threw out this RFP and have a third party make up a new RFP.

[Rettungswagen 17]

Debate Intensifies Over Public or Private Ambulance Services

Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Fire-Rescue-Wants-to-Manage-Ambulance-Services-230283411.html#ixzz2jf57Fz2s

[RicardoBerg 8]

Why doesn't San Diego just start a squad program similar to L.A. County or Ventura County instead so that private ambulances can still transport.

[joeyk48 25]

ricardo, la county and ventura county have has squads forever. for a budget problem city like san diego to implament a squad program would be a massive undertaking.  there is the cost of buying and equipping some 30-40 squads plus reserves and where do you get the staffing for them without reducing or eliminating engine or truck companies. very few dpartments have the kind of money to hire somewhere around 60-80 firefighters to staff the squads.

[FireGuy 3]

Due to California law, SDFR may not be able to just take over the ambulance service. They would have to bid like all of the other ambulance companies.

"201 Rights" as they are most commonly referred to.