HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS3 - Grand Jury Response - Fire/EMSAgenda Item No. SS3
September 25, 2012
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Council Study Session:
The City of Newport Beach Proposed Response to
the Orange County Grand Jury's Report on
Emergency Medical Response in Orange County
September 25, 2012
Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
What is the Report about?
Orange County Grand Jury released this report
June 6, 2012 requiring the City of Newport
Beach to Respond by October 1, 2012
■ Required by California Penal Code Section 933
■ Addresses the issue of emergency medical
response models utilized by the fire service
Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
What is required of the City?
The City is required to provide a response to the three
findings and two recommendations contained within the
report.
• Staff's recommendation is to authorize the Mayor to
send the proposed response to the Presiding Judge of
the Superior Court.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
What Does the Report Say?
• That fire agencies have transitioned from fire emergency
responders to medical emergency responders.
• That this transition has not generated major changes in the
operational model for fire agencies.
• That the emergency response community has discussed
developing new models, but little change has been
accomplished.
• That the current emergency response model should be re-
evaluated by independent outside consultants.
Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
What Specifically Does the Report Require from
the City in Response to the Three
Findings/Conclusions?
• A Response in the following format:
I. Respondent agrees
2. Respondent disagrees wholly or partially
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Finding F1
• Fire departments that once primarily responded to calls for fire
emergencies now have become emergency medical response
departments primarily responding to medical emergencies. This
evolution has occurred since the onset of "9- 7 - 7 " call where all
emergency calls are received at one place.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Finding F1 Response:
The City
of
Newport
Beach disagrees partially with the Finding F1 as it
pertains
to
Newport
Beach.
• The primary mission of the NBFD for over 100 years has always been the
preservation of life and property, including emergency medical calls and
ocean rescue (lifeguarding).
• The delivery of EMS was a primary responsibility of the NBFD since its
inception. The delivery of EMS as a primary responsibility of the NBFD
has been longstanding (predating 9 -1 -1 ).
Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Finding F2
As the fire departments evolved into emergency medical
departments, the model for operating the fire departments has
not radically changed. The fire departments have simply
absorbed the emergency medical responses into their
departments under their old "fire response" model.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Finding F2 Response
The City of Newport Beach disagrees partially with the Finding F2 as it pertains
to Newport Beach.
® The operating model of the NBFD has been and will continue to be dynamic.
® City Council is continually evaluating service delivery and recommending
changes based on the needs of the community and the community's demand
for high service levels.
• Today, the NBFD continues to change its operating model to care for our
residents and visitors. Examples include strokes, heart attacks, trauma care,
and spinal injuries.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Finding F3
Economic recessions have forced local fire department boards
of directors and city councils to re- evaluate their models for
providing fire and emergency medical responses. While this
brings to the fore issues of staffing, response times, public
safety, training, consolidations, union rules and privatization of
their various services, it also spotlights the model used for all
emergency responses.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Finding F3 Response
The City of Newport Beach disagrees partially with the Finding F3 as it pertains
to Newport Beach.
® The items listed in Finding F3 are being evaluated by the City Council and
Fire Department on a continual basis, not forced by the economy, but as part
of good business and government practices.
• The fire department has experienced organizational changes to maximize
staff and incorporate multifunctional personnel to become more efficient.
• The City of Newport Beach has implemented numerous changes to reduce
costs, manage public safety pensions and plan for the future while striving to
provide quality services to the community.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
What Specifically Does the Report Require from
the City in Response to the Two Recommendations?
• A Response in the following format:
The recommendation has been implemented;
The recommendation has not been implemented, but will be implemented
in the future;
3. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an explanation, or
4. The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not warranted
or is not reasonable, with an explanation.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Recommendation R 1
• The city fire departments and the Orange County Fire Authority
should engage independent private consultants to re- evaluate
their models for providing response for both fire and medical
emergencies. This re- evaluation should be accomplished by July
31, 2013.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Recommendation R 1 Response
The recommendation will not be implemented, because it is not
reasonable.
• The City acknowledges that similar studies and analysis need to
occur if local governments and their fire departments are to
continue to remain efficient and effective. However, the timeline
and path (study done by consultant services, all by July 31, 201 3)
requested by the Grand Jury is not reasonable.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Recommendation R2
• Suggested alternative models should include forming a unified
Emergency Response Department that includes fire and medical
response, separating the fire response from the medical
response, privatizing the emergency medical response.
is
Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
Recommendation R2 Response
The recommendation has not be implemented, but it may be
considered in the future.
Recommendation R2 is subordinate to R I. therefore it may
be incorporated as part of the operating model re-
evaluation noted in the response to R 1.
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Emergency Medical Response in Orange
County
That concludes our Presentation.
uestions?
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