InterLinc: Citizen Information: Media Release

City of Lincoln

Mayor's Department

Citizen Information Center Division

2000 Media Release

CITY OF LINCOLN • NEWS RELEASE • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:: October 2, 2000
For More Information Contact:: Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831

Mayor Wesely Supports Amended Ordinances That Ensure Independent Medical Oversight and Requires Response Times for Ambulance Providers

Mayor Don Wesely expressed support for the City Council's adoption of ambulance ordinances, as amended, to ensure independent medical oversight and measurable response time standards.

"Passage by the City Council clears the path for the Fire Department to formally implement emergency ambulance services as a core city service that eliminates duplication and inefficiency," the Mayor said. "When the Fire Department begins providing ambulance transport, the citizens of Lincoln can count on the professionalism and dedication that firefighters have shown during their 133 year of service to date."

The Mayor also stressed the amendments reached in discussions with the Lancaster County Medical Society and EMS, Inc. and others address the concerns they expressed at the hearing last week. The ordinance ensures independent medical oversight and guarantees that quality patient care will exist for the citizens of Lincoln.

The amendments presented to the Council that were adopted by individual vote today provide that:

The Fire Department will be required to respond to all medical emergencies within 8 minutes, 90 percent of the time (identical to the current ordinance) and set as a goal to respond in six minutes.
The Ordinance requires that all ambulance providers (the Fire Department as the emergency ambulance provider and private companies providing routine transports) use the medical director employed by the Emergency Medical Services Oversight Agency (EMSOA).
The City will seek legislation to clarify that cities do have regulatory authority regarding non-emergency or routine ambulance transport providers.

Wesely said, "We have all wanted to have the same authority regulate both emergency and non-emergency ambulance services. State law appears to currently prevent that. The ordinance, as amended, requires that all ambulance providers will use the EMS Medical Director. The City will seek to change state law to ensure a city has clear authority to regulate non-emergency ambulance service in the same manner that it can regulate emergency ambulances."

"I am pleased that we have addressed the medical community concerns in the final ordinance. The changes adopted today demonstrate the value of a public hearing and the importance of public input," said the Mayor. "I have always been committed to independent medical oversight. The amendments once again reinforce my commitment to ensure independent medical oversight. With these ordinances in place, the citizens of Lincoln know that faster, cheaper and better ambulance service will be available to them."

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