Emergency medical incidents do not typically garner the same attention as major fire incidents. However, in 2017, EMS calls and traffic accidents accounted for 56 percent of all calls for service within the Falcon Fire Protection District. About 70 percent of those incidents resulted in patients being transported via ambulance to local hospitals.Last monthís FFPD column discussed ambulance service in the Falcon area, but some residents may still be wondering how ambulance service has evolved in El Paso County and why it is becoming an issue now. Here is a brief overview.According to information on the El Paso County and ESA (El Paso County Emergency Service Authority) websites, the ESA was created in 2014 by an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Fountain and El Paso County. ESAís role in county emergency medical services is to oversee response time requirements and overall contract compliance with the countyís ambulance provider (currently American Medical Response ó AMR). Twelve members representing the Fountain City Council,†the El Paso County†Board of County Commissioners and the Pikes Peak Fire Chiefs Forum comprise the ESA board.Prior to 2013, the city of Colorado Springs and El Paso County had a joint contract with AMR to provide emergency transport services within the city and county. In 2013, the city of Colorado Springs announced its intent to enter into its own contract with an ambulance transport provider effective April 2014, citing the need to directly manage its contract for emergency transport and ensure the best service for its citizens. That ambulance provider was AMR. ESA subsequently entered into a separate contract, which also happened to be with AMR. The city contract with AMR expires Dec. 31, 2018, while the countyís AMR contract expires a year later on Dec. 31, 2019.On March 5, Priority Ambulance issued a press release stating that the company had been selected as ìthe highest-scoring firmî in the cityís competitive bid process, and was entering negotiations with the city of Colorado Springs. A memo sent to Colorado Springs AMR employees said that AMR ìwill continue to fight to retain the contract.îRegardless of the outcome, the future of ambulance transport for El Paso County residents remains uncertain for now. It is not known if the cityís ambulance provider will eventually also provide services to the county or whether the county will pursue a contract with a different provider.It is important to note that four county fire departments (Fountain, Security, Black Forest Fire/Rescue and Tri-Lakes Monument) operate their own ambulance transport services independent of the ESA contract. The Falcon Fire Protection District is currently exploring the possibility of creating its own ambulance service.
