HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2012-016 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. AB2012- 191
CLEARANCES . Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
twll , J 5/24/12 June 5, 2012 Presentation to
Originator: Council
�•✓ R E C E O V E D
Division Head:
Dept. Head: MAY 2 9 . 2012
Prosecutor: WHATCOM COUNTY
COUNCIL
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUM /1:pecial Presentation of Joint Resolution - EMS
ATTACHMENTS: EMS Joint Resolution
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public hearing, you
must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate. Be clear in
explaining the intent of the action.)
The Whatcom County Executive, City of Bellingham Mayor, City of Bellingham Fire, and Whatcom County fire service
representatives have reviewed options and costs associated with maintaining a unified Medic One System , consistent
with the 2010 Resolution of the Whatcom County Council. Executive Louws and Mayor Linville will present an overview
of a resolution recommending creation of an EMS Oversight Board , a Technical Advisory Board , and defining how the
EMS system shall be administered .
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
6 / 5 / 2012 : Presented & Council Approved 7-0
Res . 2012-016
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number:
Res . 2012-016
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing on the County 's website
at: www.co. whatcom. wa.us/council.
Working Together for County Wide Emergency Medical Services
Jack Louws, County Executive Kelli Linville , Mayor
Whatcom County City of Bellingham
311 Grand Avenue . 210 Lottie Street
Bellingham , WA 98225 Bellingham , WA 98225
(360) 676-6717 (360) 778-8100
Joint Resolution
Whatcom County Council No . 2012- 016
Bellingham City Council No . 2012- 13
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM AND WHATCOM COUNTY
ADOPTING THE JOINTLY RECOMMENDED BUSINESS MODEL FOR COUNTY WIDE
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ( EMS)
WHEREAS , on December 8 , 2010 Whatcom County Council resolved to send a
notification letter to the City of Bellingham to discontinue the existing Interlocal Agreement
regarding Emergency Medical Service ( EMS) Provision of Advanced Life Support (ALS)
Ambulance Service ; and
WHEREAS , stakeholders of the current EMS system were tasked with the
responsibility of developing a " model" of a single , unified countywide EMS system with a
countywide administrative component which addresses the following tenets outlined in
Whatcom County Resolution 2010-052 :
1 . Training and implementation of new paramedics , as needed with population and
call volume growth , that does not carry a single-agency employment or union
membership requirement unless appropriate for a given fire district based upon its
existing employment practices .
2 . Assignment of paramedic responder duties , as well as transport of patients at all
" levels" of response including Basic Life Support ( BLS) and Advanced Life (ALS) ,
in a manner that can be served by any responding fire agency in Whatcom County
as agreed upon through a coordinated and centrally-administered plan .
3 . An EMS system granting equal representation and cooperation between and
among all county fire districts and city fire departments
4 . A "component" approach to administration of a system which may consist of EMS
responder unit components , as well as a training component, an invoicing and
collections component, and other operational components as needed
5 . System-wide unification through an active EMS Administrative Board oversight,
with regular reporting and accountability requirements directed to the Whatcom
County council as needed ; and
WHEREAS , an EMS policy committee was formed by both Councils , ensuring
equitable representation of the City of Bellingham (COB) and the County, and the
policy committee appointed subcommittees to address the issues listed above ; and
WHEREAS , one of the subcommittees formed was the Business Model Subcommittee
that was tasked with developing an EMS Business Model recommendation ; and
WHEREAS , the Business Model Subcommittee met on numerous occasions and
drafted a business model recommendation for both councils' consideration ; and
WHEREAS , the Mayor of Bellingham and the County Executive accepted the business
plan recommendation , with modifications , as outlined below:
MEDIC ONE OVERSIGHT BOARD
To ensure transparency and equity of EMS oversight, administration and management a
business model is recommended that includes the establishment of an Oversight Board of 9
voting members with a 7 member quorum . The Oversight Board is to be represented by the
following :
County Executive Bellingham City Mayor
County Council Member Bellingham City Council Member
Medical Community Citizen Representative
Financial/Budget . Citizen Representative
County Fire Commissioner
Citizen at Large ( Bellingham)
Small City Mayor
The County and City Councils will appoint their respective Representative . The
Financial/Budget Citizen Representative and Medical Community Citizen Representative will
be appointed jointly by both the Executive and Mayor. The small city mayors will appoint the
Small City Mayor representative . The Bellingham Mayor will appoint the Bellingham Citizen at
t Large Representative . The County Fire Commissioners Association will appoint the County
Fire Commissioner. The Oversight Board is responsible for making all operational and
financial recommendations to both councils . The Oversight Board will meet at least quarterly
to review and make recommendations , as needed , to both City and County Councils
regarding administration , operations , levels of service , and EMS financial reporting . Beyond
the overall operations review, the Oversight Board will be primarily responsible for framing
the ongoing vision of a unified EMS system .
The Oversight Board 's role , composition , and staffing will be defined into an interlocal
- agreement, and/or appropriate legislative enactments . The City and County Councils retain
full legislative authority, including authority with respect to interlocal contracting which will
address , administrative , operational and financial matters .
TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD
The Technical Advisory Board (TAB) will be responsible for assisting with the planning and
delivery of the ALS service , and those components of the basic life support system ( BLS)
impacted by ALS service . The TAB will provide recommendations and information on
operational , educational and logistical components of the ALS programs to the Oversight `
Board . The TAB will consist of members of the fire and medical services community with
expertise in specific areas as follows :
County Fire District ( 1 ) Bellingham Fire Department ( 1 )
County Administration ( 1 ) COB Administration ( 1 )
Hospital Representative ( 1 ) Medical Program Director ( 1 )
ALS service providers
• Whatcom County Fire District 7 ( 1 )
• Bellingham Fire Department ( 1 )
What-Comm Center ( 1 )
Paramedic Training Education provider ( 1 )
Whatcom County EMS Council ( 1 )
The County Executive will appoint the TAB members representing County Administration .
The City of Bellingham Mayor will appoint the TAB members representing the Bellingham
Fire Department and City of Bellingham Administration . As ALS service providers , Fire
D istrict 7 and Bellingham Fire Department will each appoint one ( 1 ) TAB member. The
Whatcom County Fire Commissioners Association will appoint one ( 1 ) TAB member. The
E MS Council shall appoint one ( 1 ) TAB member. The County Executive and City of
Bellingham Mayor will jointly appoint one ( 1 ) : Hospital-Medical community member. The
TAB's role , composition , and staffing will be incorporated into an interlocal agreement, and/or
appropriate legislative enactments .
EMS SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION
The County shall contract for ALS/EMS System Administration . The County and City will
negotiate a contract for the City to provide ALS/EMS System Administration services for the
initial contract term . Agencies under contract and receiving County EMS funds shall report to
the Oversight Board for administrative and operational issues related to countywide
ALS/EMS coordination and service delivery. The contract for ALS/EMS System
Administration services will include all components related to central administration , including
ambulance billing , medical direction , paramedic training , ongoing paramedic education and
recertification , central purchasing , and/or operational ALS paramedic care . EMS
Administration will work with the TAB in developing broad scope operational procedures and
policies for seamless delivery of paramedic services throughout Whatcom County. EMS
Administration shall regularly produce reports and analysis of system performance . The EMS
Administration shall coordinate with the TAB and Oversight Board to develop
recommendations for a plan for stabilizing the EMS system that will serve all of Whatcom
County. now and into the future . The recommended plan will include reliable funding and
consistent service based on defined levels of service .
ALS SERVICE PROVIDERS
The County shall contract with ALS Service providers . The County and City will negotiate a
contract with Bellingham and Ferndale/District 7 . service providers under the direction of the
E MS Administration .
NOW, THEREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council and
Bellingham City Council request that the County. : Executive and City of Bellingham Mayor:
1 . Collaborate , negotiate , and execute initial contracts for EMS Administration and ALS
system providers , consistent with the tenets contained herein and thereafter,
2 . Take appropriate action to establish and to appoint an Oversight Board and Technical
Advisory Board as outlined herein , to be submitted to the Whatcom County and
Bellingham City Councils for confirmation and execution , and development of mid -
range and long range plans for a sustainable and unified EMS system .
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the timeline goal for completing the required
contracts , agreements , legislative actions , and board appointments shall be January 1 , 2013 ,
with understanding that full implementation of contract provisions occur no later than January
1 , 2014 . Until such time , the existing 2007 EMS Interlocal agreement between the City of
Bellingham and the County remains in full effect.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Executive and City of Bellingham Mayor
recommend for approval by both Councils the EMS Business Model as outlined above to
include the creation of the EMS Oversight and Technical Advisory Boards , responsible for
developing a sustainable and unified EMS System plan .
FOR WHATCOM COUNTY:
Passed by Council this 5th day of June , 2012
\‘‘‘ C 0 4/ ( C-■-•
t $ ATC6tC % Kathy Kershner, Council Chair
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s NN App oved a to For •
Darts Bro . i�;S erk Li Council Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
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FOR THE t` tPti DPIELLINGHAM :
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Passed by Council this ' A day of , 2012
Council Pr ident
APPROVED by me this 't* day of j tkini , 2012 .
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Mayor
ATT / / Appr , e • as to Form :
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i : nce Direc or Office of the City Attorney