HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2010-052 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2010 - 305 A
CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
Originator: 11 /30/2010 12/7/2010 SCOTW & Council
Division Head: �� �1��/�
I Dep t. Head.: 4+ 1 / . 30 'Id
Prosecutor:
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Resolution requesting Executive discontinue EMS Interlocal Agreement
ATTACHMENTS:
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.)
Requesting that the County Executive draft and send a notification letter to the City of Bellingham to discontinue the interlocal agreement regarding
Emergency Medical Service provision
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
12 / 07 / 2010 : Discussed . Some councilmembers 12 / 07 / 2010 : Council Amended & Approved 5 - 2 ,
will come up with amendments for the evening Mann & Weimer opposed
meeting . Res . 2010-052
Related County Contract #: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number Res . 2010-052
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.
1 Res . Requesting Executive Draft EMS Discontinuation Notice
2 SPONSORED BY : Crawford
3 PROPOSED BY: Crawford
4 INTRODUCTION DATE : December 7 , 2010
5
6 RESOLUTION NO . 2010 -052
7
8 REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DRAFT AND SEND A NOTIFICATION
9 LETTER TO THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM TO DISCONTINUE THE INTERLOCAL
10 AGREEMENT REGARDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVISION
11
12 WHEREAS, in 2006 the emergency response agencies, along with Whatcom County
13 government and the City of Bellingham ( City) , signed an agreement ( contract No .
14 200611026 ) to support a cooperative countywide Emergency Medical Services response and
15 provision plan ; and
16
17 WHEREAS, since that time, opportunities for paramedic training and implementation
18 outside of the Bellingham Fire Department have been unnecessarily more expensive and
19 delayed ; and
20
21 WHEREAS, the training and activation of paramedics to staff the 5th Medic One unit
22 have been far more costly and time-consuming than was reasonably expected ; and
23
24 WHEREAS, a common goal of all signatory agencies in the 2005 EMS plan was to
25 maintain a unified EMS system , but instead there has been discord , delay, and confusion ;
26 and
27
28 WHEREAS, the most recent statements of protest by the City regarding training of a
29 Point Roberts paramedic indicate a lack of responsiveness and general disregard by City
30 administrators to the needs and well - being of Whatcom County citizens outside of
31 Bellingham ; and
32
33 WHEREAS , the Whatcom County Fire Commissioners Association has clearly stated
34 in its Resolution 2010 - 01 that it supports the County Council and Executive in initiating
35 changes to the current Interlocal Agreement with the City of Bellingham for providing
36 Emergency Medical Services ; and
37
38 WHEREAS, many other fire department officials have recommended that the County
39 Council and Executive move to renegotiate the existing interlocal agreement with the goal of
40 an improved agreement and development of a strategy for EMS delivery of service for 2012
41 and beyond ; and
42
43 WHEREAS, a ' model ' of a single , unified countywide EMS system must be developed
44 with a countywide administrative component which allows the following :
45
46 A . Training and implementation of new paramedics, as needed with population
47 and call volume growth , that does not carry a single- agency employment or
48 union membership requirement unless appropriate for a given fire district
49 based upon its existing employment practices
50 B . Assignment of paramedic responder duties, as well as transport of patients at
51 all ' levels ' of response including Basic Life Support ( BLS ) and Advanced Life
52 Support (ALS ) , in a manner that can be served by any responding fire agency
53 in Whatcom County as agreed upon through a coordinated and centrally-
54 administered . plan
1 C . An EMS system granting equal representation and cooperation between and
2 among all county fire districts and city fire departments
3 D . A `component' approach to administration of a system which may consist of
4 EMS responder unit components, as well as a training component, an
5 • invoicing and collections component, and other operational components as
6 needed
7 E . System -wide unification through an active EMS Administrative Board
8 oversight, with regular reporting and accountability requirements directed to
9 the Whatcom County Council as needed ;
10 .
11 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council hereby
12 requests the County Executive prepare and send a letter of notification , as provided in the
13 current EMS interlocal agreement between the county and the City of Bellingham , notifying
14 the City of the county's action to discontinue the current interlocal agreement, effective
15 three calendar years from January 1 , 2011 ; and
16
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council calls upon all fire
18 districts and city fire departments in Whatcom County to immediately initiate discussions
19 and negotiations with the goal of crafting an EMS response system reflective of the values,
20 responsiveness, participation , efficiency and well - being of all citizens of Whatcom County .
21
22 BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that there will be a seamless continuation of unified
23 Emergrithia00I Services while Whatcom County, the cities, and fire districts work out
24 prol l sIvi fit's e /694 ting agreement .
25
26 .�� J . A, 3/41Wit oeth day of December , 2010 .
27 0 .0� COUNTY
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32 1314na ; ro ~4 ` 'L \iis, CIe$$ t of the Council Sim Crawford , Cou cil Chair
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35 A ,• P • 0 VEDAS TO F9RIGI :
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38 Civil Deputy Prosecutor