HEMO
TO: Alderman Mabbett, Chairman, July 2, 1974
Building and Protection Committee

FROM: L.D. Pollock, c.c. Alderman P.F. Ranger
City Administrator W.S. Wingrove, Fire Chief

RE: Provincial Takeover of Ambulance Service

This memorandum will summarize a meeting held with Mr. Carson-Smith on Friday,
June 21, 1974. Mr. Carson-Smith is a Provincial Government employee assisting in
organizing the ambulance service which is part of the Department of Health. The
meeting was quite lengthy and there are obviously many points which will require
clarification, however, the following basic points seem to cover the proposed
ambulance service as it now stands. ’

i. The Province will officially take over financing the ambulance services aa of
July 1, 1974. There will be a period of phasing in between then and the end of the
year and it is expected that after that date the system of Provincially operated
regional ambulances will be in operation,

2. They have categoried ambulance services into full time and part time operations.
The full time operations are those which are operated exclusively as ambulances with |
either part time or full time employees, however, they are structured in such a way
that their time is devoted exclusively to ambulance service. The Fire Department
inhalator/rescue vehicle type of operation is classed as a part time service.

3. The Province will be taking over the entire cost of the full time ambulance
operations and will equip them and train them to the Provincial standards, This in~
cludes the Metro Ambulance operation which will be expanded to provide extended
service throughout the Lower Mainland area.

4. The Province will reimburse the part time ambulance operations (for example,

our rescue vehicle operation) on the basis of a fixed sum per call, The amount paid
will vary depending on the qualifications of the staff operating the ambulance al-
though they will only pay for two attendants in the vehicle (we are presently oper-
ating with three attendants). The amount of reimbursement will aiso include the
cost of bandages, splints or whatever else might have been used up on the call. We
will be reimbursed for any type of call i.e. whether transportation is required or not
provided that the full time ambulance operation is not calied in to assist. In other
words, if we attend a call and it is discovered that it is net s serious emergency
and the Provincial ambulance service is called we do not get reimbursed for the par-,
ticular call. They estimate that the amount of reimbursement will be around $35.00
per call. . .

5. The Province is looking towards standardization of equipment and will be equip-
ping ambulance operations. They will also be providing training and will have a
teaching team touring the Province to give a two week course to ambulance operations,

Alderman Mabbett July 2, 1974

They indicated that the Province would pay for upgrading of any equipment that is
not up to the Provincial standards.

6. There will be a flat rate charge of $5.06 per user for an ambulance catl and
there may be additional charges imposed upon larger industrial plants or for out
of Province cases. These rates have not yet been set.

It appeared from the discussion that the scheme is mainly being ortented towards
solving the rural ambulance problem although they have definitely taken into con-
sideration the Fire Department operations. There will no doubt be questions raised
and problems arise in connection with the reimbursement of municipalities where the
reirbursement is based on the qualifications of the employee. This will no doubt
conflict with the manner in which we pay our employees,

out to Mr. Carson-Smith. In addition,

which the Province will be

vehicle operation.

consider it as a support funct.

the full ambulance service. He indicated, however,
City would be reimbursed fully for the operation as
piace an ambulance in the are

and the Fire Department opera

support service,

We also asked Mr. Carson-Smith directly whether he thought we should hire additional
hicle operation and he indicated that we should probably be -
cautious in hiring additional staff if they were to be strictly employed ia the rescue

vehicle operation. He thought that the expanded ambulance service would improve
coverage in this area,

Based on the number of calls that we expect to have this year we would probably re-
cover in the neighbourhood of $12,000. for the year's operation. This just pays for
one man. it would appear from uur conversation that we will continue to function at
about the same level of service as the support ambulance operation.

We pointed out to Mr. Carson-Smith the problems in reimbursing ona per call basis
and also urged him to consider payment to the municipality of a lump sum per year
towards ambulance operations. He said that ke did not think this was feasible,
however, that there is a financial team visiting each ambulance operation to discuss
the transition and that we may be able to make representation to these people,

lence service in this vicinity.
ambulance operation through the P:

o20/3