4. Staff Report-Fire Dept Medical Calls
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: March 4, 2015
To: City Council
From: Kristina Handt, Administrator
Re: Fire Department Medical Call Response
Background:
In October 2013, the Council decided not to have the Fire Dept respond to level 3 medical calls.
Level 3 medical calls are for minor injuries such as the flu or minor cut. The decision was made after
reviewing other communities’ response levels such as:
• Forest Lake Fire: does not respond to any medical calls, 3 North Ambulances available
• Lake Elmo Fire: responds to level 1 medicals and when requested
• Chisago City Fire: does not respond to medicals, Lakes PD trained and carry oxygen and
defibs.
• Lindstrom Fire: Same as Chisago City.
• Stillwater Fire: responds to level 1 medicals and when requested
Also at the time, Lakeview had an ambulance stationed in the fire hall. In February this year, the
ambulance moved to another location and is no longer based in Scandia. Further, North Ambulance
in Forest Lake has taken over coverage for the most populous areas of the City. This is similar to the
arrangement that was in place prior to Lakeview moving to Scandia in 2012.
Medical calls in 2014 went down to 121 from 153 in 2013 and 144 in 2012.
Issue:
Which medical calls should Scandia Fire and Rescue respond to?
Proposal Details/Discussion:
Now that the ambulance is no longer stationed at the fire hall, the fire department would like to go
back to responding to level three medicals. As we heard at the February Council meeting, ambulance
response times will increase from what they have been for the last two years and will return to 2011
and earlier comparable times.
Options:
1) Make no changes to Fire Department Medical Call Response
2) Request dispatch alert Scandia Fire and Rescue on all medical calls
3) Request Scandia Fire and Rescue not be called out on any medical calls