Minutes 05-26-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Emerqency Services (includinq Fee Schedule chanqe requests) This was on page 18-1 and pages 59-61 (fee schedules). The total expenditure budget is approximately $7.9 million, which is an increase of $1.2 million. This is the first department with new positions recommended. This is on page 2-19. The first positions are four telecommunicators —two effective July 1St and the other two January 1St. This is a salary/benefit impact of $136,000 for 2011-12. For 2012-13, the impact will be $181,000. Also included in this are six new EMT positions at hiring intervals of one position every other month starting July 1St, with the last EMT hired May 1, 2012. This is an impact of $146,000 for 2011-12 and $250,000 for 2012-13. These positions are part of a pilot program that the EMS Director is looking at and was started at Durham Tech. It is kind of a paramedic academy initiative where, upon successful completion of the academy, the EMTs will be promoted to paramedic status and will have a two-year commitment to Orange County. The salaries would be promoted up to paramedic status after two years. To fund that, the County had set aside $24,000 in a contract personnel line item. This also includes full year funding of four paramedic positions. This is an impact of $110,000. The budget also includes (page 18-1) capital outlay for replacing two ambulances at a total cost of $531,600, which includes the outfitting of the units. There is also $50,000 in capital items. The budget for next year also includes $19,000 for additional training. The revenues are increasing approximately $150,000. The fund balance appropriation is allowed through the E911 Board, where 50% of the fund balance can be used for any public safety need. EMS Director Frank Montes de Oca spoke further about the Paramedic Academy. They are also working with partners such as UNC to place one of the units in a building on the UNC campus. About 90% of this will be paid by UNC. The only cost for the County will be internet access and some small utilities. This will allow one of the units to be moved to the central part of Chapel Hill, where 60-80% of the calls come from. Frank Montes de Oca thanked the Board for adding the four new telecommunicators. This is a great need. Frank Clifton said that the call center the County runs is also the dispatch station for all local fire departments as well as the police departments. Commissioner Gordon asked about the report that explained the response times that were so high. She said that this was a very high-profile report. She said that it would be helpful if this data were put together in the same vein as the high-profile report to show that Orange County is responding. Commissioner McKee asked if they would be able to salvage the EMS unit that wrecked recently. Frank Montes de Oca said that the newer unit that was wrecked was purchased because it is a top of the line unit, but it is cheaper to operate. This unit will be replaced. Commissioner McKee asked about the stationing of the new units on the UNC campus and asked if an additional unit would be shifted north since that is where the longer response times originate. Frank Montes de Oca agreed and said that all of the service delivery is south of US 70. As more units are added, one of the focuses is to look at plugging these units into the north. Commissioner Yuhasz said that Commissioner Jacobs had mentioned before the role of elected officials in an emergency and he would appreciate being included in any training operations so that he knows what is expected of him and other County Commissioners. Commissioner Yuhasz said that Frank Montes de Oca mentioned the significant weather events of late and he noted that there is a request for two weather monitors. He asked how important these were in keeping track of the weather emergencies.