HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-06-13 16-258 ORDERCOUNCIL ACTION
Item No. 16-258
Date: June 13, 2016
Item/Subject: ORDER, Amending the Schedule of Fees - Fire - EMS No Transport
Responsible Department: Fire
Commentary: This Order would create a fee structure for "excessive" use of emergency medical
services (EMS) when no transport is required. The City of Bangor provides highly trained paramedics
and specialized equipment to be available for emergency transports. The staff, equipment and availability
ensure better health outcomes for individuals that may suffer from critical emergencies such as heart
attack, stroke, or trauma. Increasingly, EMS has received excessive requests from single individuals or
institutions where no emergency assistance or transport is required. Often the purpose of these calls has
been to assist individuals who are homebound and unable to help themselves or to provide lift assists for
home health care agencies and nursing homes. In 2015, EMS responded to one individual 171 times.
When EMS is tied up on non -emergency calls, it can slow response to time sensitive emergencies such as
those cited above. Additionally, because EMS is trained in emergency response and not home health
care, some of the tasks performed by the EMS staff can increase the City's liability and lower health
outcomes for those who really need more on-going and sustained assistance. While EMS would not want
to dissuade individuals from making needed calls for assistance, EMS services are not intended to
supplant home health care or to provide non -emergency assistance for repeated individual or institutional
calls. To deter excessive use of EMS for non -emergency services, the proposed fee structure has been
developed with a graduated rate based on the number of calls each year and the number of vehicles
responding:
For Individuals
0-3 requests per year
$ 0
per vehicle for each request
4-8 requests per year
$ 25
per vehicle for each request
9 or more requests per year
$ 125
per vehicle for each request
For Business
0-3 requests per year
$ 25
per vehicle for each request
4 or more requests per year
$ 125
per vehicle for each request
This item was discussed at Government Operations Committee meetings on March 21 and June 6, 2016,
and recommended for approval at the June 6th meeting.
Department Head
Manager's Comments:
City Ma
Associated Information: Order
Budget Approval:
Finance Director
Legal Approval:
City
Introduced for
x Passage
_ First Reading
Referral
16-258
JUNE 13, 2016
Assigned to Councilor Plourde
CITY OF BANGOR
ORDER, Amending the Schedule of Fees -Fire - EMS No Transport
BE IT ORDERED BY THE CrN COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR, THAT
The Schedule of Fees, as authorized under Chapter 109 of the Code of the City of Bangor, is
hereby amended as follows:
T. Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
(2) Emerges y M001 cankgg Rates (NQ TrangQqrt 28-39
p. Individual
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IN CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 13, 2016
MOTION MADE AND SECONDED FOR PASSAGE
PASSED
CITY CLERK