[0:01] THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAF THE MINUTES FROM OUR MEETING ON,

[0:06] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN MOVED AND.

[0:11] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNI. [ COMMISSIONERS VOTING ]

[0:14] ANY OPPOSED? [ NO RESPONSE HEARD ]

[0:15] THE MINUTES HAVE PASSED. COLLEAGUES, ITEM 2A ON TODAY'S C

[0:19] HEARING ON THE STAFFING REQUIREE 9, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.

[0:24] THIS PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONN AND VIA TELEPHONE.

[0:29] PERSONS NOT IN ATTENDANCE TODAYN COMMENTING ON SECTION 7, SUBSECE

[0:38] 9 ARE INVITED TO CALL THE TOLL-N CONFERENCE NUMBER NOW.

[0:42] AND THAT PHONE NUMBER IS 1-855-. IT'S ON THE SCREEN.

[0:49] AGAIN, THAT NUMBER IS 1-855-340. AND, AGAIN, IT'S DISPLAYED ON O.

[0:58] WHILE WE WAIT FOR CALLERS, I WOK KRISTEN MEDICAL STROM TO PROVIDN

[1:05] THE STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR O. MELSTROM.

[1:13] >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CONLEY, AND. JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND.

[1:18] ON ORDINANCE 9. SINCE 1984, ORDINANCE 9 REQUIREC

[1:23] STAFFING MODEL FOR ALL A.L.S. RN HENNEPIN COUNTY WHEN PEOPLE CAL1

[1:30] SERVICE. ON JUNE 7th, 2022, PUBLIC HEALTF

[1:36] THE EMS COUNCIL, PRESENTED SEVER ORDINANCE 9 TO UPDATE THE ORDING

[1:43] PROPOSED CHANGES TO A STAFFING O CHANGE THE REQUIREMENT TO MODELE

[1:50] CHAPTER 144E. AND THAT STATUTE REQUIRES A MINE

[1:55] PARAMEDIC AND ONE EMT FOR RESPO. THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDED B.L.1

[2:05] CALLS. SO THAT IS IN THE CURRENT ORDINT

[2:11] WAS SUSPENDED AT THAT TIME TO GH AND THE EMS COUNCIL TIME TO STU.

[2:17] SO CURRENTLY THAT'S SPUPPEDDED D UNTIL MARCH 31st OF THIS YEAR.

[2:22] THIS IS THE FIRST PART IN THE PE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THIS WIE

[2:27] BOARD AGAIN ON MARCH 10th AT THH COMMITTEE, AND THEN ON THE 17thL

[2:33] DECISION. SO THAT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREML

[2:37] DECISION ON THE STAFFING SECTIOE BY MARCH 31st.

[2:42] OTHERWISE THE PREVIOUS REQUIREMO PARAMEDICS WOULD BE REINSTATED.

[2:49] >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y. MELSTROM.

[2:52] SO, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASS ANY CALLERS CURRENTLY ON THE LI?

[2:57] >> MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO CA. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y.

[3:01] SO THERE ARE NO CALLERS RIGHT NP COMMENTS TOP FOLKS HERE IN PERS.

[3:06] I HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO WOU. SO WELCOME.

[3:10] FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE L HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

[3:14] PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM WHR NAME.

[3:16] ON THE PODIUM THERE IS A SET OF. THE GREEN LIGHT STARTS YOUR TIMU

[3:21] SEE THE YELLOW LIGHT ILLUMINATET 30 SECONDS LEFT TO CONCLUDE YOUE

[3:26] RED LIGHT INDICATES THAT YOUR T. SO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK,O

[3:31] THROUGH THE NAMES THAT I HAVE. SO FIRST UP I HAVE SAM ERICKSON.

[3:45] >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

[3:50] SO, MY NAME'S SAM ERICK SON, I'D RESIDENT, I'M A PARAMEDIC AND A.

[3:57] I THINK I'VE BEEN UP HERE QUITEO YOU FOLKS ABOUT THIS, BUT I THIE

[4:03] CAN'T HURT. SO ORDINANCE 9, TWO PARAMEDICS ,

[4:06] THE ANALOGY I ALWAYS MAKE IS THN MODEL.

[4:09] WHEN YOU GET ON A DELTA PLANE, N AIRLINES PLANE, WHAT YOU LOOK AS

[4:14] TWO PILOTS. THAT'S BEEN THE WAY FOR P MANY E

[4:18] UNITED STATES AND WE DID THAT BE TIME IN A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE, OE

[4:23] FINE, THERE'S NO ISSUES, LANDINO PROBLEM.

[4:27] BUT IN THOSE INSTANCES WHEN THE, HAVING TWO EXPERTS IN THOSE SEA.

[4:33] YOU, I THINK, WOULD ALL TAKE ISN TO A DELTA FLIGHT TOMORROW AND T

[4:39] AND ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT IN THE. AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'H

[4:45] THIS REDUCTION IN STAFF TO ORDI. OKAY?

[4:49] BEING THE ONLY A.L.S. PROVIDER S MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND EMOTIR

[4:54] PROVIDERS. SO, IN A BUSY METRO AREA, I'LL N

[5:00] EMS, WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUO HAVE DEALT WITH THE KILLING OF X

[5:07] PRETTI, ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL SHOE COLLAPSE, COVID, CIVIL UNREST FR

[5:11] OF GEORGE FLOYD, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S JUST HENNEPIN EMS.

[5:15] OKAY? I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK TO WHAT ALL R

[5:17] PROVIDERS ARE GOING THROUGH. AND, SO, TO SHOULDER THAT BURDEY

[5:23] ALONE AS FAR AS THE HIGHEST-LEVS EXHAUSTING.

[5:29] HENNEPIN COUNTY HAS ALWAYS LED S REGARD.

[5:31] I THINK KRISTEN QUOTED IT, THIST INTO EFFECT WHEN I WAS 2.

[5:38] OKAY. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LON.

[5:40] PART OF THE ISSUE IS, IN MY OPIE AMBULANCE SERVICES IN HENNEPIN E

[5:46] PRIVATE AND TWO PUBLIC. SO THE PUBLIC ONES ARE EDINA FIN

[5:49] EMS, WE PROVIDE PARAMEDIC/PARAMT EXCLUSIVELY OR EXCLUSIVELY.

[5:54] THE PRIVATE SERVICES ARE THE ONG TO COME TO YOU AND SAY, OH, WE E

[5:59] DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF, WE CANT ENOUGH.

[6:02] BUT THEY HAVEN'T INVESTED IN TH. HENNEPIN EMS HAS A VAST TRAININE

[6:07] TAKE FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY A. WE EVEN PAY THEM TO BECOME PARAE

[6:12] THIS COMMUNITY. WE'VE INVESTED IN IT BECAUSE I R

[6:15] RESIDENTS EXPECT IT, THEY EXPECH OUTCOMES.

[6:18] LAST THING I'LL SAY, THIS ORDIND HEALTH EQUITY.

[6:23] OKAY? IF THIS ORDINANCE AND THE TWO PM

[6:26] BREAKS DOWN, WHAT YOU WILL SEE G WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHER HEALTH EQE

[6:32] AFFLUENT WHITE CITIES WILL HAVET COVERAGE, TWO PARAMEDICS, MANY L

[6:39] GET GREAT SERVICES, MUNICIPALITO THE AREA THAT HAS A PRIVATE AMBR

[6:45] HAS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF BLACKN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE MONEY ME

[6:49] WILL NOT GET THE SAME LEVEL OF L SEE THE HEALTH EQUITY OUTCOMES .

[6:53] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y,

[6:56] Mr. ERICKSON, NEXT I HAVE SUSAN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.

[7:01] , CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS SUSAN LONG, I'M THE S

[7:04] CHIEF OF ALLINA HEALTH EMS, THAE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TOD.

[7:08] AS WE CONSIDER THOSE ACTIONS ONG REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN ORDINA.

[7:13] I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL CONE BOARD HAS GIVEN TO THIS ISSUE.

[7:17] AS YOU KNOW, THE STAFFING COMMIN SUSPENDED WHILE THE COUNTY GATHD

[7:22] FROM EMS AGENCIES AND REVIEWED S ACROSS THE REGION.

[7:25] I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS STRONR ELIMINATING THE MANDATORY TWO PD

[7:31] AND ALIGNING THE ORDINANCE WITHE 144E.

[7:34] OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EMS THROUGHOUT HENNEPIN COUNTY AND E

[7:39] FACED SIGNIFICANT WORKFORCE CHAY IN THE PARAMEDIC JOB CLASS.

[7:43] THESE SHORTAGES HAVE BEEN WELL D IMPACT RESPONSE TIMES, OPERATIOD

[7:48] THE WELL-BEING OF OUR EMS WORKF. REINSTATING THE TWO PARAMEDIC RY

[7:55] A.L.S. RESPONSE WOULD PLACE AN N ON AN ALREADY CHALLENGED WORKFOM

[8:01] FLEXIBILITY AND RISK SLOWER RESR COMMUNITIES.

[8:03] EQUALLY IMPORTANT, MODERN EMS RD EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATE THAT REQO

[8:08] PARAMEDICS ON EVERY CALL DOES NS FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF 911 RE.

[8:13] MOST EMERGENCIES DO NOT REQUIRED PROCEDURES THAT NECESSITATE DUA.

[8:18] THE STATE'S STAFFING MODEL, WHIR TWO PARAMEDICS OR A PARAMEDIC PS

[8:24] CLINICALLY SOUND, EVIDENCE BASED EFFECTIVELY ACROSS MINNESOTA AN.

[8:30] ALIGNING ORDINANCE 9 WITH STATEE ACCOMPLISHES SOME KEY GOALS.

[8:35] IT STRENGTHENS RESPONSE RELIABIY IN STAFFING ALLOWS EMS SERVICESE

[8:40] AMBULANCES ON THE ROAD, ADJUST S DYNAMICALLY TO CALL VOLUME AND S

[8:45] CAUSED BY PARAMEDIC SHORTAGES. IT SUPPORTS WORKFORCE SUSTAINABT

[8:49] RETAIN AND SUPPORT THE CLINICALD CLINICIANS WE HAVE, A RIGID STAD

[8:56] INCREASE BURNOUT AND OVERTIME AS SYSTEMS NATIONWIDE ARE STRUGGLIE

[9:02] STAFFING. THIS ALIGNMENT ALSO ENSURES CONH

[9:06] STATEWIDE STANDARDS. MINNESOTA STATUTE 144E ESTABLISM

[9:10] FRAMEWORK FOR A.L.S. STAFFING A, HELPING ENSURE PATIENTS RECEIVEE

[9:15] LEVEL OF CARE PROMPTLY AND WITHY COST BURDENS.

[9:18] THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU TODAY IR NOT PARAMEDICS HAVE A VITAL ROL.

[9:23] THEY ABSOLUTELY DO. THE QUESTION IS, WHETHER THE COE

[9:26] A STAFFING STANDARD MORE RESTRIE STATE'S, DESPITE CLEAR EVIDENCEA

[9:32] REQUIREMENT DOES NOT IMPROVE OUD NEGATIVELY IMPACT SERVICE RELIA.

[9:35] I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THE T QUESTION IS NO.

[9:39] I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE ELIMIO PARAMEDIC MANDATE AND ADOPT STAE

[9:44] CONSISTENT WITH MINNESOTA STATU. THIS CHANGE COULD HELP ENSURE AY

[9:51] RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE TY EMERGENCY CARE DELIVERED BY CLIM

[9:55] DESIGNED FOR TODAY'S REALITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LR

[10:00] COMMITMENT TO A SUSTAINABLE EMSR HENNEPIN COUNTY.

[10:02] >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y. THANK YOU.

[10:04] SCOTT. >> THANK YOU.

[10:10] GLAD TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS SCOTT SAMPE AND THE D

[10:14] CHIEF OF NORTH MEMORIAL AMBULAN. AND I KNOW OVER THE LAST COUPLEF

[10:19] YOU VISITED US, RODE WITH US, D, INVESTIGATED AND WE APPRECIATE .

[10:24] I KNOW ON A DAILY BASIS, EMS ISY GOAL OR MAY NOT KNOW A LOT ABOU.

[10:30] BUT I ALSO HAVE A LONG CAREER, S IN EMS, AND HAVE BEEN ACROSS THY

[10:36] AMBULANCE SERVICES AND I CAN TEE EMT PARAMEDIC, A.L.S. COMBINATIN

[10:41] THE COUNTRY. THAT'S WHY WE FOLLOW IT.

[10:44] OTHER COUNTRIES EVEN PUT DOCTORR AMBULANCES AND DON'T NECESSARILS

[10:49] THAN THAT COMBINATION. AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU ALSO .

[10:54] A HEALTHCARE ANALOGY. IF YOU WENT TO THE EMERGENCY DED

[10:58] I HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE TO, WOULDO DOCTORS TO GREET YOU AS YOU WAL?

[11:03] YOU'D PROBABLY GET A NURSE AND . AND THOSE TWO PROFESSIONALS WORE

[11:09] YOU A GREAT COMBINATION OF DIFFO GIVE YOU THE BEST CARE, AND THAT

[11:14] WE'RE ASKING FOR, TO FOLLOW STAE AN EMT AND PARAMEDIC.

[11:19] THAT WAY WE HAVE EQUAL DISTRIBUR AREAS THAT WE COVER OF GOOD HEAT

[11:25] ALSO GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, ID PARAMEDICS, YOU HAVE TO BE AN EU

[11:31] BECOME A PARAMEDIC, WHERE ARE TG FROM?

[11:34] ARE THEY COMING FROM OTHER AREAN COUNTY?

[11:37] SO THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE AND ASE SUPPORT FOLLOWING STATE STATUTE.

[11:41] THANK YOU. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y,

[11:47] Mr. SAMPE. NEXT I HAVE TIM.

[11:53] >> CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, THAG ME SPEAK.

[11:57] I'M A CAPTAIN PARAMEDIC WITH NO. PRIOR TO ACTUALLY HAVING THE ROI

[12:04] WORKED ON AN AMBULANCE, ON AN AI HAD EMT PARTNERS THAT I WORKED .

[12:10] SO I FEEL THAT I AM ABLE TO SPE. OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE CAN ALL AGN

[12:18] SOMEONE, A RESIDENT OF HENNEPIN, THEY EXPECT FAST AND GOOD CARE.

[12:25] I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHINGF US IN THIS ROOM WOULD AGREE ABO.

[12:31] BUT WITH THE EMT, PARAMEDIC AMBE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AS SCOTT D

[12:41] ABLE TO ACCESS THE CARE OF THATD OF DIFFERENT ANGLES, SO TO SPEAE

[12:47] AND A DOCTOR. IF WE ARE ABLE TO STAFF AMBULAND

[12:54] PARAMEDIC, WE ARE ABLE TO STAFF. I KNOW AT NORTH MEMORIAL, IF WEE

[13:04] PARAMEDIC/PARAMEDIC ROLE, WE WOY ABOUT 100 PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD -

[13:09] PARAMEDICS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TR CURRENT STAFF LEVEL OF AMBULANC.

[13:14] AMBULANCES ON THE STREET. SO THAT WOULD SLOW OUR RESPONSES

[13:21] MEANINGFUL CARE FOR THE RESIDENN COUNTY.

[13:25] THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY E 9, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WAS ENACD

[13:31] THAT WAS WHEN EMTs DID NOT HAVEE OF PRACTICE THAT THEY HAVE TODA.

[13:37] THEIR SCOPE HAS INCREASED SIGNIT IS BY STATE.

[13:45] AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROV- LOSING MY WORD -- BUT INTERVENTE

[13:55] GO -- THAN THEY HAD WHEN ORDINAS ORIGINALLY ENACTED.

[13:58] THANK YOU. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y.

[14:03] I APPRECIATE IT. PETER.

[14:06] >> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISS. MY NAME IS PETE TANGE, I'M THE L

[14:11] DIRECTOR FOR NORTH MEMORIAL AMB. I'M AN EMS, EMERGENCY MEDICINE .

[14:16] I'VE BEEN AN EMS SINCE 1988. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THREEI

[14:22] AM IN FAVOR OF UPDATING THE LANE 9 TO BETTER MATCH THE STATE ANDL

[14:29] STANDARDS. SO THE FIRST PERSPECTIVE IS, WHA

[14:34] RESIDENT OF HENNEPIN COUNTY, MYY MEMBERS AND MANY OF MY FRIENDS .

[14:41] AND I THINK FROM A PATIENT PERSE CALLED 911, I'VE WANTED A QUICKY

[14:49] RESPONSE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE TRT TO DO.

[14:54] SO, BY LIMITING AND REQUIRING TC STAFFING AS THE ONLY MODEL OF AE

[15:00] IN THE COUNTY, WE LIMIT THE NUMS THAT CAN BE AVAILABLE AND, THERE

[15:09] TIMELINESS OF RESPONSE. AND AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, BY TT

[15:16] TRAINING DOES ALLOW FOR A LOT OE RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY REQUESTS .

[15:24] SO, THIS LEADS ME TO THE SECONDH IS, THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIEG

[15:32] PARAMEDIC -- ALLOWING FOR PARAMT RESPONSES, AS WELL AS OTHER B.L.

[15:38] AND IT'S SIMPLE MATH. IF WE HAVE 100 PARAMEDICS AND WO

[15:44] PARAMEDIC PER AMBULANCE, WE CAN0 AMBULANCES.

[15:47] IF WE ALLOW FOR AN EMT AND A PAD AMBULANCE, NOW WE CAN HAVE 100 .

[15:54] AND, THEREFORE, DISTRIBUTE THEMD HAVE MORE TIMELY RESPONSE.

[16:02] AND AS TIM MENTIONED, EMTs AND S WORKING TOGETHER HAVING BEEN A R

[16:10] APPROPRIATE RESPONSE. AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THO

[16:14] THIS IS IF WE HAVE MORE AMBULANR CALLS THAT REQUIRE TWO PARAMEDID

[16:20] THAT WE HAVE TWO PARAMEDICS THAD CONTINUE TO CARE FOR THE PATIENG

[16:27] TRANSPORTATION IS INCREASED. SO WHATEVER VALUE WE HAVE WITH F

[16:31] ONE HAS TO DRIVE, WE REDUCE THAE TIMES WHEN TWO PARAMEDICS ARE N.

[16:38] AND THEN, FINALLY, THERE'S A HI, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN IN IT SINCE '8E

[16:45] PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH Dr. PO WAS AROUND WHEN THE ORDINANCE WD

[16:51] LIKE TIM MENTIONED, THE ORDINANE TIME.

[16:54] WE'VE UPDATED, WE'VE MODERNIZEDA PARAMEDIC IS MORE THAN AN APPROD

[17:00] THAT'S THE MODERN EMS SYSTEM. THANK YOU.

[17:04] >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y. LAST ON MY LIST IS MARTIN.

[17:10] OKAY, GREAT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT K

[17:14] TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, TO THE T? ORDINANCE 9.

[17:18] GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE.

[17:21] THANK YOU, ALL, FOR SHOWING UP R TESTIMONY.

[17:23] IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THAT WILL WRAP UP IN-PERSON COM.

[17:29] BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CHECK ONE MF TO SEE IF WE DO HAVE ANY MORE C.

[17:35] >> MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO CA. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y.

[17:39] SO, WITH NO OTHER CALLERS, I WOA MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEAR.

[17:44] >> Commissioner Fernando: SO MO. >> Commissioner Goettel: SECOND.

[17:45] >> Commissioner Conley: MOTION D AND SECONDED.

[17:48] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNI. [ COMMISSIONERS VOTING ]

[17:50] THOSE OPPOSED? [ NO RESPONSE HEARD ]

[17:52] THAT ITEM PASSES. THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA.

[17:54] >> MADAM CHAIR? >> Commissioner Conley: YES.

[17:55] >> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? >> Commissioner Conley: YES, PL.

[17:58] >> Commissioner Lunde: AND I ONE WE HAVE LITERALLY EVERYBODY IN .

[18:01] I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, MAYBE,O SPOKE COULD PROVIDE THE COMMISSE

[18:06] AN EMAIL OR A MEMO ON, I KNOW TE RESPONSES, I KNOW HCMC HAS A DOT

[18:13] SOMETIMES IN A ROVER, WE HAVE OT JUST THIS ONE CREW, THERE'S OFTY

[18:20] CREWS, THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAW THAT, AND I'M GUILTY AS CHARGEDN

[18:27] PARK MOVE FROM A VOLUNTEER FIREL FIREFIGHTERS AT BRB ARE EMTs --K

[18:33] ARE EMTs AND MANY ARE PARAMEDICW THERE'S A MULTIPLE SYSTEM OVERLS

[18:39] IF YOU COULD PROVIDE US WITH TH. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME.

[18:42] I ASK, MADAM CHAIR, LITERALLY ED BE ABLE TO RESPOND ARE SITTING .

[18:46] >> Commissioner Conley: YOU'RE Y RIGHT.

[18:47] THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[18:49] ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

Health Committee on 2026-02-05 1:30 PM

Agenda

Transcript