Agenda - 09-09-2008- 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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N 2 Franchise Aareement The Orange County ordinance "Regulating Emergency Medical, First Responder, and Rescue Services and Granting of Franchises and Contract to the Operators in the County of Orange Section 6.4 provides that a franchise may be granted if the County finds that: (a) the applicants meets county /state standards and standards outlined in the franchise agreement; (b) The proposed service will fit within the existing service so as not t adversely affect the level of service so operation of other franchises to render services; and (c) a need exists for the rendered service in order to improve the level of service available to residents of the County helping to assure the provision of adequate and continuing service which preserves, protects, and promotes the public health, safety and welfare and that granting the franchise is a cost effective and a reasonable manner of meeting the need. On December 14, 2004, the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved the application for ambulance franchise agreements of the two active volunteer rescue squads in the County, Orange EMS and Rescue Squad and Technical Rescue Services, Inc d/b /a South Orange Rescue Squad. Prior to approving the applications on November 16, 2004, the Board held a public hearing to determine if the franchise was "necessary to assure the provision of adequate and continuing ambulance service and to preserve, protect, and promote the public health, safety and welfare." On August 16, 2005, the Board approved an Emergency Services Events and Facilitation Agreement Renewal for both Rescue Squads. (See Attachment 1, Agreement Between Orange County Rescue Squad and Orange County) The EMS Services to be provided in the agreement were (1) Rescue Services: light and heavy extrication, underwater (dive) rescue and wilderness and land search and (2) Primary Ambulance Provider (Special Events Only). The franchise agreement is conditioned on the agreement that the Grantees will comply at' all times with the "franchise and all applicable laws relating to health, sanitation, safety, equipment, ambulance design or other EMS service vehicle design and all legal requirements related to a Model EMS system and all other law and ordinances." The requirements contained within, but not limited to are: staffing and performance requirements, vehicle and equipment requirements, communication requirements and data collection and performance reporting requirements. Stand Down Decision Earlier this year reports began to surface from staff, county fire services and other emergency response members of unsafe and unprofessional practices by the Orange County EMS and Rescue Squad. Initial information was gathered to research the basis and validity of the complaints and concerns. Based on the information gathered, and to protect the health and safety of the residents of Orange County on June 27, 2008, a decision was made to immediately stand down the OCRS squad pending a more complete investigation of the reports. (See Attachment 2, Preliminary Report, Orange County Rescue Squad, Inc.) Some of the specific concerns were: • In July 17, 2007, OCRS responded to a call of a victim in the water (dive response), OCRS could not provide the service because they did not bring the right equipment or a boat. • During an auto extrication call, the OCRS attempted to remove a women who had died from the car accident, after an hour of unsuccessful attempts, the squad left the scene and another provider had to remove the victim.