3B Public Hearing 2008 0707 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF 5AN LEANDRO STAFF REPORT DATE: June 30, 2008 TO: John Jermanis, City Manager FROM: Stephen L. Hollister, Assistant City Manager APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO CITY COUNCIL Jo ~ Jermanis Ci Manager SUBJECT PROJECT/PROJECT DESCRIPTION: ORDINANCE REGULATING NON-EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council hold a Public Hearing and introduce an Ordinance, which provides for the Alameda County Emergency Medical Services Agency (County EMSA) to regulate non-emergency ambulance services for compliance with County EMSA policies and standards. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Non-911 ambulance services, Basic Life Support and Critical Care Transport, have been unregulated and have been operating without emergency medical service oversight. This has led to problems with employee and customer complaints and equipment issues over which the County EMSA has no authority. Currently, these ambulance providers are under no obligation to provide disaster relief assistance, may not have medically trained supervisors, and may not have appropriate quality control procedures, and there is no requirement that their ambulances or employees comply with County EMSA policies. County EMSA currently has no right to conduct ambulance inspections within the City. The County EMSA is the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA) designated to plan, implement and evaluate the local Emergency Medical Services System of Alameda County. The County EMSA maintains contracts with first responder agencies to provide 911 ambulance services, but has no authority over non-911 ambulance providers located within San Leandro. There are eight non-911 ambulance companies currently operating in the county, with several more making plans to start services in the near future. There are two affected ambulance companies in San Leandro -Royal Ambulance and Pro-Transport. In order to establish a comprehensive system of administration and oversight of non-911 ambulance services, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Alameda recently adopted an Ordinance adding Chapter 6.114 to the County General Ordinance Code. Section 6.114.030 of the new Chapter provides that, upon adoption by a City of the Ordinance, the County shall "have enforcement powers within that City." The proposed Ordinance would add a new Chapter to the Municipal Code, requiring any emergency medical service provider based or operating within the City to comply with the requirements imposed by Chapter 6.114 of the County General Ordinance Code.