Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Emergency Communications Department to sign a non-standard revenue generating agreement with American Medical Response West, for the term of February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2032, allowing the County to provide building space and equipment for American Medical Response’s use to perform ambulance dispatch; and
b. Authorize the Director of the Emergency Communications Department to sign up to three (3) amendments to this Agreement where the amendments do not significantly change the scope of work.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of the Emergency Communications Department to sign a non-standard revenue generating agreement with American Medical Response West, for the term of February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2032, allowing the County to provide building space and equipment for American Medical Response’s use to perform ambulance dispatch; and
b. Authorize the Director of the Emergency Communications Department to sign up to three (3) amendments to this Agreement where the amendments do not significantly change the scope of work.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Emergency Communications Department is the consolidated Public Safety Answering Point for 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls as well as a radio dispatch facility serving 28 law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency medical response agencies throughout Monterey County.
The County, through the Health Department’s Emergency Medical Services Bureau, has contracted with American Medical Response West (AMR) to provide ambulance services throughout Monterey County. This agreement includes the responsibility of AMR to provide dispatch services to their ambulances. AMR is also currently the County’s ambulance provider.
While AMR will continue to provide ambulance dispatch services, the Emergency Communications Department (ECD) will answer 9-1-1 calls, document the call in the County’s CAD system, identify calls requiring ambulance response, and transfer those calls to AMR, which retains responsibility for medical interrogation, prioritization, and ambulance dispatch.
AMR has historically utilized space and equipment within the ECD facilities to perform its ambulance dispatch functions and AMR and ECD have mutually agreed to continue with the status quo. The existing framework will continue with some updates through a new space use agreement with a term in-line with the ambulance services agreement.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has approved this Agreement as to form. The Risk Manager has reviewed this agreement and provided input. The Auditor-Controller and Contracts/Purchasing have reviewed and approved this agreement. The EMS Bureau has reviewed this agreement as it relates to the County’s Ambulance Services Agreement.
FINANCING:
The Emergency Communications Department will initially collect a fixed rate of $22,800 per month with annual 3% increase. All collected revenue will be an offset to net-billable expenses to the ECD’s other user agencies.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This action meets the Board’s Public Safety Strategic Initiatives and demonstrates the County’s commitment to meeting the Board’s strategic initiative of Public Safety that supports the mission of Monterey County.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
__Administration
__Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
_x_Public Safety
Prepared by: John Vaught, Finance Manager II, x8883
Approved by: Lee Ann Magoski, Director of Emergency Communications, x8880
Attachments:
Agreement
Board Report