Boardman to choose single EMS provider

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Township trustees are expected to choose a single emergency medical- service provider with ambulance transportation after hearing this week from two private companies.

Representatives from Rural Metro and Lane LifeTRANS addressed trustees Wednesday. The two companies were recommended by Fire Chief George Brown after he conducted a study of EMS options.

The township now uses a rotation system with three companies, including Rural Metro and Lane LifeTRANS, for EMS.

Brown said the company that is chosen will be required contractually to have base locations in Boardman and respond to calls within six minutes 85 percent of the time and respond under eight minutes 90 percent of the time.

He added the response time is a “substantial improvement” over the township’s recent contracts that require a response time within nine minutes of the call 90 percent of the time.

The fire department “will still respond to calls that indicate a full cardiac arrest, sensations of unconsciousness and automobile accident,” Brown said.

But if someone needs a lift assist, for example, firefighters will not respond if a private ambulance is available, he said.

“It doesn’t make sense to take a $900,000 firetruck if there’s already going to be trained personnel on the scene of a non-life- threatening injury,” he said.

If an ambulance cannot respond because it’s taking another call, the fire department will respond, regardless of the type or severity of the call, Brown said.

Trustees are expected to choose a provider by the end of the year. The company would have 90 days to prepare for the contract by increasing staffing and preparing base locations in the township, Brown said.

The goal is to have a single-provider system running calls by April 1, the chief said.