Agenda - 10-03-2013 - 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comprehensive Assessment of Emergency Medical Services 82 and 911 /Communications Center Operations Study Highlighting the 2011 numbers; while the emergency and non - emergency overage response times were less than the 12- minute and 15- minute objectives established for each; the 90 %fractile response for the non - emergency calls was 22 minutes vs. the 15 minute objective , and the 90% fractile response for the emergency calls was 18 minutes vs. the 12 minute objective. Response Time by Area of the County During the initial presentation of study findings to the Emergency Services Work Group it was suggested that it had long been the perception within the County that rural areas did not receive as rapid a response as the more urban and populated areas of the County. And, that it would be helpful to see and assess what those actual call numbers and corresponding EMS response times actually were. In doing so, a second series of County maps follows. Map #6 -is again a map of Orange County; in this instance, divided into 2 -mile square, numbered grids. The map was developed by Emergency Services Department personnel. Map #7 -color codes each grid on the basis of the average EMS response times recorded for the calls responded to within it during calendar year 2011. The number of calls per grid ranged from '0' to 1,505. The color key located at the bottom of the page provides an explanation of the colors used: • The average response time into red grid squares was greater than 20 minutes • The average response time into green grid squares was between 16 -20 minutes • The average response time into blue grid squares was between 12 -16 minutes • The average response time into orange grid squares was between 8 -12 minutes • There were no EMS calls dispatched during 2011 into those grids that were left white Note also that the Appendix Section of this report includes a larger scale County Grid Map (Map #6) together with the number of EMS calls dispatched into each grid and the average response time for those calls; for the years 2009 -2011. Map #8- identifies the boundaries (in blue) of the existing designated EMS districts. Within each district there are notations that indicate the number of EMS calls and the average response time to those calls for the calendar year 2011. District 5 appears to be the largest in land area followed by District 4 and District 1. District 7 is the smallest. Map #9- divides the County into hypothetical "zones' based upon the study of EMS call volume, response time, area accessibility, and population. Then, calculating the number of calls and corresponding average response times that occurred within each zone to provide a look at the response time issue from another perspective. For example EMS District 2, in Map 8 showed 2,400 calls with an average response time of 08:37 to all calls. When dividing that District and considering the grid characteristics of "Zone 8" , which includes the western half of District 2, there is a dramatic decrease in the number of calls and significant increase in the average response time. [The remainder of this page intentionally left blank] Solutions for Local Government, Inc. 38