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10 <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> TO: Roger Stancil, Chapel Hill Town Manager <br /> Steve Stewart, Carrboro Town Manager <br /> FROM: Dan Jones, Chapel Hill Fire Chief <br /> Travis Crabtree, Carrboro Fire Chief <br /> SUBJECT: Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Perspective for Orange Assembly of <br /> Governments Agenda Item on EMS for 3/25/10 <br /> DATE: March 16, 2010 <br /> Per your request, we have reviewed the Orange County abstract and power point presentation <br /> concerning the Emergency Medical Services Delivery Report prepared by Director Montes de Oca and <br /> intended for the Assembly of Governments joint meeting on March 25. We(Jones, Crabtree, and Fire <br /> Chief Jeff Cabe of Hillsborough/Orange Rural) actually worked with Director Montes de Oca and his <br /> staff in the development of this report and we are in support of the data and numbers presented. <br /> However,we want to share some of the material we submitted for inclusion in the report that was not <br /> used. We do believe the delivery of emergency medical services is a significant issue and warrants <br /> attention as soon as possible. <br /> The problem of deficient resources for emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency <br /> communications (911 Center) in Orange County is not new and has been developing for a long period <br /> of time. System modifications (QRV response), an active first responder system of fire departments, <br /> support from volunteer rescue and EMS squad, an old radio dispatch system, and lack of data all <br /> combined disguised the depth of the issue. In a bullet point list below we would like Orange County <br /> officials to consider some immediate needs of the system as it relates to responsiveness to residents <br /> and visitors, detrimental impacts the EMS system is having on other emergency services and the <br /> frequency of incidents when emergency coverage of Orange County is placed in jeopardy by these <br /> issues. <br /> • To ensure quick service during medical emergencies, the municipalities have taken the lead by <br /> providing first responder or other medical services through their fire departments to assist in <br /> protecting the lives of residents and visitors. Each fire department has a mission statement to <br /> protect lives and property and wants to be a good partner with the County. However,the <br /> county is charged by state statute with the obligation to provide EMS. <br /> • If the fire departments were unable to provide first responder services,there would be even <br /> more concern about the delayed responses of County EMS units. <br /> • As an example the increasing pressure on Orange County EMS resources directly impacts the <br /> fire departments due to an increase in on-scene times of fire units that have arrived as first <br /> responders and then the delayed arrival of EMS means those fire units must be committed <br /> longer and are unavailable for their primary charge of fire protection responses. From 2008 to <br /> 2009, data show a 74%increase in the number of times an EMS unit had a response time in <br /> Chapel Hill greater than 15 minutes." <br /> 1 <br />