HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-02-01; City Council; 3600-3; Paramedic Unit for CityCITY OF CARLSBAD
AGENDA BILL
NO. yS`dQ
Initial:
rr
Dept. Hd.
DATE:
February 1, 1977
C. Atty.
1
DEPARTMENT:
Fire
C. Mgr.
Subject:
PARAMEDIC UNIT FOR CITY
Statement of the Matter
At the January 4, 1977 Council meeting, the City Council
directed staff to proceed with plans to hire four additional
firefighters and to institute paramedic service for the City.
During the discussion the Council expressed concern for the
level of paramedic service in the southern areas of the City
and directed the staff to outline some possible alternative
methods of providing service to the south.
The attached report suggests some possible alternatives.
Exhibit
1. Staff Report - 1-17-77
2. Resolution No. Q Z
Recommendation
If Council concurs, establish one paramedic unit at fire station #3,
Chestnut and El Camino Real, as proposed in alternative four of the
staff report, and additionally adopt Resolution No.
authorizing the transfer of funds for that purpose.
Council action
2-1-77 Resolution #4086 was adopted, authorizing transfer of funds for
purpose of paramedic service.
CARLSBAD FIRE DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: CITY MANAGER DATE: 1-17-77
FROM: FIRE CHIEF
SUBJECT: ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR SfIPPLYING PARAMEDIC
SERVICE TO SOUTHERN AREA OF CITY.
During discussion of the proposed paramedic service at the January
4, 1977 City Council meeting, the Council expressed concern for
the level of paramedic service in the southern area of the City
and directed the staff to outline alternative methods of providing
service in this area.
San Diego County criteria calls for paramedics to be able to re-
spond within ten minutes in urban areas and fifteen minutes in
rural areas. As originally proposed for Carlsbad, paramedic
service would not be available in all urbanized areas of the City
within ten minutes, but would be available to the majority in that
time.
The following figures indicate the relative demand for ambulance
service in the nortncrn and southern areas of the City during 1976.
Number of Patients Transported
Total With Ambulance at Station 1 With Ambulance at Station 2
613 507 106
100% 83% 17%
The demand for ambulance service, and subsequently paramedic service
will, of course, increase as the southern area grows. To develop
an estimate of the potential demand for paramedic service in our
southern area, the experience of the San Dieguito paramedic service
(CSA-17) is useful. In CSA-17, approximately 30% of all emergency
medical call victims were judged to benefit from the services of a
paramedic. This judgement is based on whether the victim received
treatment which could not have been given by Emergency Medical
technicians. If we assume that 50% of the calls in Carlsbad in
1.976 were paramedic calls, the southern area of the City would
have generated approximately 53 paramedic calls (an average of
little more than one a week), whereas -the northern area of the
City would have generated approximately 5 calls per week.
The geographical layout of the City and the scattered development
patterns represents a difficult service delivery problem.
CFD/Memorandum-City Manager 1-17-77
Page 2
The following alternative methods of providing service in the
southern area of Carlsbad appear possible:
I. Central Station. A single paramedic unit could be located
in a central location in the City; somewhere in the vicinity
of E1 Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road. The Fire Depart-
ment Master Plan eventually calls for the location of a fire
station in the general vicinity of the airport.
If and when that station is developed, this may be the ideal
location to base a paramedic unit.
In the interim it may be possible to establish temporary
quarters somewhere in this area to house a unit. However,
there are currently no spaces available that would adequately
provide for housing such a unit. It would be necessary to
construct or remodel a facility.
The attached table indicates the Palomar Airport Road location
would be an ideal base for a paramedic unit, adequately serving
the entire City's medical emergencies. However, without a
firefighting facility, the dual role of firefighter/paramedic
would be limited.
2. Contract with CSA-17. Another method of providing paramedic
service in the southern City would be through agreement with
CSA-17 to provide paramedics. For this alternative to be
feasible, however, it would be necessary for CSA-17 to estab-
lish another paramedic unit in the northern portion of their
district.
Currently, Carlsbad could provide a better level of service
to it's southern area than could CSA-17, since CSA-17's unit
is presently based in Solana Beach. Even though that district's
growth will demand another paramedic unit location in the north-
ern part of that district, the possibility is at least 18 months
away and would not serve as a practical short term solution to
this City's need.
3. Establish Two Paramedic_ Units in the City of Carlsbad. The
City could provide a high level of paramedic service to all
areas of the City through the use of two paramedic units.
Unit #1 - Station #1 - Elm Avenue
nit #2 - Station #2 - E1 Camino Real
This method would approximately twice as expensive as pro-
viding service to a s.,,le unit. The attached budget indicates
the projected cost of first year operation in 1977 dollars. In
addition, it would be necessary to hire outside personnel to
staff a second paramedic unit because it is not practical nor
feasible at this point + take additional personnel from the
040
CFD/Memorandum-City Manager 1-17-77
Page 3
3. Continued
trained fire fighters we now have and train them as para-
medics. It would seriously dilute the level of trained
fwrefighters now in service and from a fire defense stand-
point, not adviseable.
In addition, because a paramedic is a highly trained
specialist, the decrease of service demands in the southern
area of the City would no doubt require extra training effort
be expended to ensure his proficiency.
4. Establish One Paramedic Unit at Station 3; Chestnut and L
Camino Real. Using this alternative, response times to
the southern areas of the City, in the majority of cases,
would fall within the 10 minute criteria.
An EMT manned ambulance would operate from Station 2 and
would respond to all emergency calls in the southern area
with the Paramedic Unit responding simultaneously from
Station 3.
If the determination is made that paramedic services will
not be required, the Paramedic Unit will be returned to
Station 3.
J es ompson `--
attachtrtents
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C&I-ZLE ?AI) FT RE Dr..PAR'I'. ,i;PIT /ALTERI,IATIVE 1. ATTACI NT: ,NT
TRAVEL DISTANCES FROM FT.RE STATION
1
2
3
X
PALOMAR AIRPORT RD. & PASEO DEL NORTE
3.5
6.0
4.8
3.5
PALOMAR AIRPORT
6.6
3.3
5.0
0.6
PALOMAR AIRPORT & EL CAMINO REAL
5.9
2.7
4.3
0.0
PASEO DEL NORTE & CAMINO ESTRADA
4.3
5.2
5.6
4.3
ALGA & ALISMA
9.2
1.8
7.7.
3.4
LA COSTA AVE. & BL C701INO
9.2
0.6
7.6
3.3
LA COSTA AVE. & CALLE MADERO
10.0
1.4
8.4
4.1
OLIVENHAIN RD. & AMARGOSA
11.1
2.5
9.5
5.2
ELPI & CARLSBAD BLVD.
0.7
9.1
2.3
6.5
'PAMAPACK & CARLSBAD BLVD.
1.6
8.2
3.2
6.0
.CANNON ROAD & CARLSBAD BLVD.
2.9
6.9
4.5
4.7
STATE & LAGUNA
1.1
9.5
2.7
6.8
CATALINA & CHESTNUT
1.6
7.0
0.0
4.3
HIGHLAND & RATCLIFF
0.9
9.2
2.3
6.3
* % Represen-s a Phantom Station Located at the Intersection
of Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real.
ia
ALTBBNATIVE 3. 'iACHbiEN`r
PARANIIEDTC SERVICE -CITY OF CARLSBAD
"SECOND UNIT"
EMPLOYEE SERVICES
Additional Employees (3)
Overtime
TOTAL EMPLOYEE COSTS
(Increased Costs)
MAINTENANCE & OPERATION
Travel -Meetings -Training
Vehicle Expense
Special Supplies & Services
Insurance
`.TOTAL MAINTENANCE & OPERATIONS
CAPITAL OUTLAY
Equipment - Radios to Equip
Ambulance
Reserve for Replacement of
Vehicle & Equipment
'.TOTAL CAPITAL OUTLAY
TOTAL BUDGET FOR SECOND UNIT
First
Last
Total
Second
Five Months
7 Montlis
12 Months
�
Year
24,120
28,140
r
52,260
54,873
31,212
-0-
31,212
23,400
55,332
28,140
83,472
78,273
300
600
1,800
2,000
1,100
1,100
4,200
4,200
7,400
7,900
13,000
13,000
-0-
8,000
8 000
21,000 8,000
• 111 872 .94,173
TOTAL FOR TWO (2) UNITS 232,497 210,413
r
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ALTERNATIVE 4. 7x_ iACHMENT
PARAIgEDIC SrjZVTCz-CIT`; OF CARLSBAD
EMPLOYEE SERVICES
Additional Employees (4)
(Paramedic Coordinator
(Promotional Costs -
Overtime
TOTAI, EMPLOYEE SERVICES
(Increased Costs)
MAINTENANCE & OPERATION
Travel & Meeting-TraininS
Vehicle Expense
(Gas-Oil-1.1tce)
Special Supplies & Services
Laundry
Medical Supplies
Miscellaneous Equipment
Insurance
TOTAL MAINTENANCE & OPERATION
CAPITAL OUTLAY
Aeserve for Replacement
of Vehicle & Equipment
TOTAL BUDGET
r
First
Last
`total
Second
Five Months
7 Months
12 Months
Year
32,160
39,140
71,570
74,340
685
959
1,644
1,800
31,212
-0--
31,212
23,400
64,057
40,099
104,425
99,540
300
300
600
1,800
2,000
250
2.50
350
350
500
500
500
5,000
51000
500
300
8,200
8,700
8,000
8,000
120,625
116,240
1 RESOLUTION NO. 4086
2 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA
3 AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF INI`1'IATING
41 PARAMEDIC SERVICE.
r
5 WHERLAS, the City Council has authorized and directed the ~
` 6lCity Manager to initiate paramedic service in the City of Carlsbad,
7 land
8 WHEREAS, the initiation of paraiar-dic service requires training
9 of Fire Department personr-..; and
10 WHEREAS, such training caeates additional costs for hiring of
11additional personnel, overtime compensation: and the acquisition of
3.2`certain materials and supplies;
13 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the
14 City of Carlsbad, as follows:
15 1. That the above statements are true and correct.
16 2. That the City Council authorize: and directs the transfer
17 Df funds in the amount of $60,000 from the Genaral Fund Account y
18-000-900 to the Fire Department Accounts 1-120-1110 and 1-120-1120,
19 for the purpose of initiating paramedic service.
20 3. That the Department of Finance Request for Transfer of
21 kppropriatioi No. 21 is on file in said dcpartment and incorporated
22 y _eference herein is approved.
23 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City
24 Z:ouncil on the 1st day of February , 1976 by the
25 following vote, to wit:
?6 AYES: Counriimen Frazee, Lewis, Packard, Skotnicki and
27 NOES: None Councilwoman Casler
28 ABSENT: None
TTESTA.--i y . n /,", ROBERT C. FRAZ13E, A1ayo'