On August 22, 2016, the Sparks City Council authorized the Sparks Fire Department (SFD) to provide paramedic level EMS in the City of Sparks.  Because of budget and staffing constraints, the Paramedic Program was designed to be phased in over several years, based on the availability of funding, staffing, and the equipment needed to provide this level of EMS care.

The Paramedic Program was implemented on April 3, 2017, when Ladder 41 and Engine 51 were licensed by the State to provide paramedic level EMS in the northern portion of the City, operating out of Fire Station 4 and Fire Station 5.

Fire Stations 4 and 5 were the first two stations staffed with paramedics, as residents of these areas typically experienced a longer wait time for the arrival of a Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority (REMSA) unit staffed with paramedics.  Additionally, staffing Fire Stations 4 and 5 with paramedics allowed SFD to move forward with implementation of the Enhanced Automatic Aid Agreement with the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD).  Enhanced Auto Aid with TMFPD was fully implemented on February 26, 2018.

After Fire Stations 4 and 5, the implementation program called for Engine 21 (Fire Station 2) to be the next apparatus licensed for paramedic level EMS.  Fire Station 2 was selected, as it historically has one of the highest call volumes in the City.  In order to license Engine 21, SFD needed to acquire additional equipment, including advanced life support (ALS) cardiac monitors/defibrillators for the paramedics to use.

On November 17, 2016, SFD applied for a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to purchase four (4) Zoll X-Series defibrillators and related equipment.

On May 26, 2017, SFD was notified the grant request had been approved; and on June 26, 2017, the Council accepted the AFG.  

On January 8, 2018, the Council authorized the purchase of the defibrillators under the terms of the AFG (total cost of $117,144, with $106,467 to be reimbursed to the City).

The defibrillators were received by SFD on March 30, 2018, and are ready to be placed in service.

The remaining costs associated with licensing Engine 21 are approximately $1,500 for the purchase of a computer tablet to complete incident reports in the field and interface with the Zoll cardiac monitors, and $1,200 for consumable supplies and medications.  The FY18 SFD budget has sufficient funds available to acquire these items.

SFD has notified the State EMS Division of our intent to license Engine 21 as a paramedic engine, so that the apparatus can be inspected to ensure the proper complement of equipment and medications are available to run paramedic level calls. 

When the Paramedic Program was approved by Council in August 2016, SFD had 15 paramedics on staff.  Today, we have 20.  This gives us enough paramedics to staff Fire Station 2.

We hired two new Firefighter/Paramedics, who started working for SFD on April 9.  Once they complete their orientation and preceptorship, they will be able to provide paramedic level EMS as well.

Finally, three of our current employees are enrolled in the Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) Paramedic Program and should be completed by the end of 2018. At that time SFD should have 25 paramedics on staff.

With Council approval, Engine 21 (Fire Station 2) is expected to be staffed with paramedics on May 7, 2018.

Looking ahead, the next apparatus scheduled to be staffed with paramedics is Engine 31 (Station 3).  It is anticipated this will occur in the first quarter of 2019, subject to Council approval.

Since SFD's Paramedic Program began on April 3, 2017, Fire Stations 4 and 5 (Ladder 41 and Engine 51) have been dispatched to approximately 2,500 EMS calls (through February 28, 2018).  Of these, we arrived on scene approximately 1,600 times with the opportunity to provide some level of EMS care.  On 340 of these calls, paramedic interventions were initiated, including advanced airway management, cardiac monitoring, and the administration of medications.  It is anticipated that staffing Fire Station 2 with paramedics will result in an increased utilization of paramedic skills and improved patient outcomes.

The implementation of paramedic level EMS at SFD ensures that our residents and visitors are receiving the highest level of pre-hospital care possible, consistant with that provided to the residents of Reno and the unincorporated areas of the County. 

1.  The City Council can choose to approve staffing of Engine 21 with paramedics in accordance with the implementation schedule previously adopted by the Council on August 22, 2016.

2.  The Council can choose not to approve staffing Engine 21 with paramedics.

3.  The Council can provide the City Manager some other direction regarding the Department's Paramedic Program.

I move to approve implementing paramedic level emergency medical service on Engine 21 (Fire Station 2).