THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAF THE MINUTES FROM OUR MEETING ON,
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN MOVED AND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNI. [ COMMISSIONERS VOTING ]
ANY OPPOSED? [ NO RESPONSE HEARD ]
THE MINUTES HAVE PASSED. COLLEAGUES, ITEM 2A ON TODAY'S C
HEARING ON THE STAFFING REQUIREE 9, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONN AND VIA TELEPHONE.
PERSONS NOT IN ATTENDANCE TODAYN COMMENTING ON SECTION 7, SUBSECE
9 ARE INVITED TO CALL THE TOLL-N CONFERENCE NUMBER NOW.
AND THAT PHONE NUMBER IS 1-855-. IT'S ON THE SCREEN.
AGAIN, THAT NUMBER IS 1-855-340. AND, AGAIN, IT'S DISPLAYED ON O.
WHILE WE WAIT FOR CALLERS, I WOK KRISTEN MEDICAL STROM TO PROVIDN
THE STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR O. MELSTROM.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR CONLEY, AND. JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND.
ON ORDINANCE 9. SINCE 1984, ORDINANCE 9 REQUIREC
STAFFING MODEL FOR ALL A.L.S. RN HENNEPIN COUNTY WHEN PEOPLE CAL1
SERVICE. ON JUNE 7th, 2022, PUBLIC HEALTF
THE EMS COUNCIL, PRESENTED SEVER ORDINANCE 9 TO UPDATE THE ORDING
PROPOSED CHANGES TO A STAFFING O CHANGE THE REQUIREMENT TO MODELE
CHAPTER 144E. AND THAT STATUTE REQUIRES A MINE
PARAMEDIC AND ONE EMT FOR RESPO. THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDED B.L.1
CALLS. SO THAT IS IN THE CURRENT ORDINT
WAS SUSPENDED AT THAT TIME TO GH AND THE EMS COUNCIL TIME TO STU.
SO CURRENTLY THAT'S SPUPPEDDED D UNTIL MARCH 31st OF THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE FIRST PART IN THE PE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THIS WIE
BOARD AGAIN ON MARCH 10th AT THH COMMITTEE, AND THEN ON THE 17thL
DECISION. SO THAT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREML
DECISION ON THE STAFFING SECTIOE BY MARCH 31st.
OTHERWISE THE PREVIOUS REQUIREMO PARAMEDICS WOULD BE REINSTATED.
>> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y. MELSTROM.
SO, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASS ANY CALLERS CURRENTLY ON THE LI?
>> MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO CA. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y.
SO THERE ARE NO CALLERS RIGHT NP COMMENTS TOP FOLKS HERE IN PERS.
I HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO WOU. SO WELCOME.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE L HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM WHR NAME.
ON THE PODIUM THERE IS A SET OF. THE GREEN LIGHT STARTS YOUR TIMU
SEE THE YELLOW LIGHT ILLUMINATET 30 SECONDS LEFT TO CONCLUDE YOUE
RED LIGHT INDICATES THAT YOUR T. SO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK,O
THROUGH THE NAMES THAT I HAVE. SO FIRST UP I HAVE SAM ERICKSON.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
SO, MY NAME'S SAM ERICK SON, I'D RESIDENT, I'M A PARAMEDIC AND A.
I THINK I'VE BEEN UP HERE QUITEO YOU FOLKS ABOUT THIS, BUT I THIE
CAN'T HURT. SO ORDINANCE 9, TWO PARAMEDICS ,
THE ANALOGY I ALWAYS MAKE IS THN MODEL.
WHEN YOU GET ON A DELTA PLANE, N AIRLINES PLANE, WHAT YOU LOOK AS
TWO PILOTS. THAT'S BEEN THE WAY FOR P MANY E
UNITED STATES AND WE DID THAT BE TIME IN A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE, OE
FINE, THERE'S NO ISSUES, LANDINO PROBLEM.
BUT IN THOSE INSTANCES WHEN THE, HAVING TWO EXPERTS IN THOSE SEA.
YOU, I THINK, WOULD ALL TAKE ISN TO A DELTA FLIGHT TOMORROW AND T
AND ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT IN THE. AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'H
THIS REDUCTION IN STAFF TO ORDI. OKAY?
BEING THE ONLY A.L.S. PROVIDER S MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND EMOTIR
PROVIDERS. SO, IN A BUSY METRO AREA, I'LL N
EMS, WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUO HAVE DEALT WITH THE KILLING OF X
PRETTI, ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL SHOE COLLAPSE, COVID, CIVIL UNREST FR
OF GEORGE FLOYD, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S JUST HENNEPIN EMS.
OKAY? I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK TO WHAT ALL R
PROVIDERS ARE GOING THROUGH. AND, SO, TO SHOULDER THAT BURDEY
ALONE AS FAR AS THE HIGHEST-LEVS EXHAUSTING.
HENNEPIN COUNTY HAS ALWAYS LED S REGARD.
I THINK KRISTEN QUOTED IT, THIST INTO EFFECT WHEN I WAS 2.
OKAY. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LON.
PART OF THE ISSUE IS, IN MY OPIE AMBULANCE SERVICES IN HENNEPIN E
PRIVATE AND TWO PUBLIC. SO THE PUBLIC ONES ARE EDINA FIN
EMS, WE PROVIDE PARAMEDIC/PARAMT EXCLUSIVELY OR EXCLUSIVELY.
THE PRIVATE SERVICES ARE THE ONG TO COME TO YOU AND SAY, OH, WE E
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF, WE CANT ENOUGH.
BUT THEY HAVEN'T INVESTED IN TH. HENNEPIN EMS HAS A VAST TRAININE
TAKE FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY A. WE EVEN PAY THEM TO BECOME PARAE
THIS COMMUNITY. WE'VE INVESTED IN IT BECAUSE I R
RESIDENTS EXPECT IT, THEY EXPECH OUTCOMES.
LAST THING I'LL SAY, THIS ORDIND HEALTH EQUITY.
OKAY? IF THIS ORDINANCE AND THE TWO PM
BREAKS DOWN, WHAT YOU WILL SEE G WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHER HEALTH EQE
AFFLUENT WHITE CITIES WILL HAVET COVERAGE, TWO PARAMEDICS, MANY L
GET GREAT SERVICES, MUNICIPALITO THE AREA THAT HAS A PRIVATE AMBR
HAS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF BLACKN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE MONEY ME
WILL NOT GET THE SAME LEVEL OF L SEE THE HEALTH EQUITY OUTCOMES .
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y,
Mr. ERICKSON, NEXT I HAVE SUSAN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS SUSAN LONG, I'M THE S
CHIEF OF ALLINA HEALTH EMS, THAE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TOD.
AS WE CONSIDER THOSE ACTIONS ONG REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN ORDINA.
I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL CONE BOARD HAS GIVEN TO THIS ISSUE.
AS YOU KNOW, THE STAFFING COMMIN SUSPENDED WHILE THE COUNTY GATHD
FROM EMS AGENCIES AND REVIEWED S ACROSS THE REGION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS STRONR ELIMINATING THE MANDATORY TWO PD
AND ALIGNING THE ORDINANCE WITHE 144E.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EMS THROUGHOUT HENNEPIN COUNTY AND E
FACED SIGNIFICANT WORKFORCE CHAY IN THE PARAMEDIC JOB CLASS.
THESE SHORTAGES HAVE BEEN WELL D IMPACT RESPONSE TIMES, OPERATIOD
THE WELL-BEING OF OUR EMS WORKF. REINSTATING THE TWO PARAMEDIC RY
A.L.S. RESPONSE WOULD PLACE AN N ON AN ALREADY CHALLENGED WORKFOM
FLEXIBILITY AND RISK SLOWER RESR COMMUNITIES.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT, MODERN EMS RD EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATE THAT REQO
PARAMEDICS ON EVERY CALL DOES NS FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF 911 RE.
MOST EMERGENCIES DO NOT REQUIRED PROCEDURES THAT NECESSITATE DUA.
THE STATE'S STAFFING MODEL, WHIR TWO PARAMEDICS OR A PARAMEDIC PS
CLINICALLY SOUND, EVIDENCE BASED EFFECTIVELY ACROSS MINNESOTA AN.
ALIGNING ORDINANCE 9 WITH STATEE ACCOMPLISHES SOME KEY GOALS.
IT STRENGTHENS RESPONSE RELIABIY IN STAFFING ALLOWS EMS SERVICESE
AMBULANCES ON THE ROAD, ADJUST S DYNAMICALLY TO CALL VOLUME AND S
CAUSED BY PARAMEDIC SHORTAGES. IT SUPPORTS WORKFORCE SUSTAINABT
RETAIN AND SUPPORT THE CLINICALD CLINICIANS WE HAVE, A RIGID STAD
INCREASE BURNOUT AND OVERTIME AS SYSTEMS NATIONWIDE ARE STRUGGLIE
STAFFING. THIS ALIGNMENT ALSO ENSURES CONH
STATEWIDE STANDARDS. MINNESOTA STATUTE 144E ESTABLISM
FRAMEWORK FOR A.L.S. STAFFING A, HELPING ENSURE PATIENTS RECEIVEE
LEVEL OF CARE PROMPTLY AND WITHY COST BURDENS.
THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU TODAY IR NOT PARAMEDICS HAVE A VITAL ROL.
THEY ABSOLUTELY DO. THE QUESTION IS, WHETHER THE COE
A STAFFING STANDARD MORE RESTRIE STATE'S, DESPITE CLEAR EVIDENCEA
REQUIREMENT DOES NOT IMPROVE OUD NEGATIVELY IMPACT SERVICE RELIA.
I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THE T QUESTION IS NO.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE ELIMIO PARAMEDIC MANDATE AND ADOPT STAE
CONSISTENT WITH MINNESOTA STATU. THIS CHANGE COULD HELP ENSURE AY
RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE TY EMERGENCY CARE DELIVERED BY CLIM
DESIGNED FOR TODAY'S REALITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LR
COMMITMENT TO A SUSTAINABLE EMSR HENNEPIN COUNTY.
>> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y. THANK YOU.
SCOTT. >> THANK YOU.
GLAD TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS SCOTT SAMPE AND THE D
CHIEF OF NORTH MEMORIAL AMBULAN. AND I KNOW OVER THE LAST COUPLEF
YOU VISITED US, RODE WITH US, D, INVESTIGATED AND WE APPRECIATE .
I KNOW ON A DAILY BASIS, EMS ISY GOAL OR MAY NOT KNOW A LOT ABOU.
BUT I ALSO HAVE A LONG CAREER, S IN EMS, AND HAVE BEEN ACROSS THY
AMBULANCE SERVICES AND I CAN TEE EMT PARAMEDIC, A.L.S. COMBINATIN
THE COUNTRY. THAT'S WHY WE FOLLOW IT.
OTHER COUNTRIES EVEN PUT DOCTORR AMBULANCES AND DON'T NECESSARILS
THAN THAT COMBINATION. AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU ALSO .
A HEALTHCARE ANALOGY. IF YOU WENT TO THE EMERGENCY DED
I HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE TO, WOULDO DOCTORS TO GREET YOU AS YOU WAL?
YOU'D PROBABLY GET A NURSE AND . AND THOSE TWO PROFESSIONALS WORE
YOU A GREAT COMBINATION OF DIFFO GIVE YOU THE BEST CARE, AND THAT
WE'RE ASKING FOR, TO FOLLOW STAE AN EMT AND PARAMEDIC.
THAT WAY WE HAVE EQUAL DISTRIBUR AREAS THAT WE COVER OF GOOD HEAT
ALSO GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, ID PARAMEDICS, YOU HAVE TO BE AN EU
BECOME A PARAMEDIC, WHERE ARE TG FROM?
ARE THEY COMING FROM OTHER AREAN COUNTY?
SO THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE AND ASE SUPPORT FOLLOWING STATE STATUTE.
THANK YOU. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y,
Mr. SAMPE. NEXT I HAVE TIM.
>> CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, THAG ME SPEAK.
I'M A CAPTAIN PARAMEDIC WITH NO. PRIOR TO ACTUALLY HAVING THE ROI
WORKED ON AN AMBULANCE, ON AN AI HAD EMT PARTNERS THAT I WORKED .
SO I FEEL THAT I AM ABLE TO SPE. OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE CAN ALL AGN
SOMEONE, A RESIDENT OF HENNEPIN, THEY EXPECT FAST AND GOOD CARE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHINGF US IN THIS ROOM WOULD AGREE ABO.
BUT WITH THE EMT, PARAMEDIC AMBE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AS SCOTT D
ABLE TO ACCESS THE CARE OF THATD OF DIFFERENT ANGLES, SO TO SPEAE
AND A DOCTOR. IF WE ARE ABLE TO STAFF AMBULAND
PARAMEDIC, WE ARE ABLE TO STAFF. I KNOW AT NORTH MEMORIAL, IF WEE
PARAMEDIC/PARAMEDIC ROLE, WE WOY ABOUT 100 PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD -
PARAMEDICS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TR CURRENT STAFF LEVEL OF AMBULANC.
AMBULANCES ON THE STREET. SO THAT WOULD SLOW OUR RESPONSES
MEANINGFUL CARE FOR THE RESIDENN COUNTY.
THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY E 9, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WAS ENACD
THAT WAS WHEN EMTs DID NOT HAVEE OF PRACTICE THAT THEY HAVE TODA.
THEIR SCOPE HAS INCREASED SIGNIT IS BY STATE.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROV- LOSING MY WORD -- BUT INTERVENTE
GO -- THAN THEY HAD WHEN ORDINAS ORIGINALLY ENACTED.
THANK YOU. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y.
I APPRECIATE IT. PETER.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMISS. MY NAME IS PETE TANGE, I'M THE L
DIRECTOR FOR NORTH MEMORIAL AMB. I'M AN EMS, EMERGENCY MEDICINE .
I'VE BEEN AN EMS SINCE 1988. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THREEI
AM IN FAVOR OF UPDATING THE LANE 9 TO BETTER MATCH THE STATE ANDL
STANDARDS. SO THE FIRST PERSPECTIVE IS, WHA
RESIDENT OF HENNEPIN COUNTY, MYY MEMBERS AND MANY OF MY FRIENDS .
AND I THINK FROM A PATIENT PERSE CALLED 911, I'VE WANTED A QUICKY
RESPONSE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE TRT TO DO.
SO, BY LIMITING AND REQUIRING TC STAFFING AS THE ONLY MODEL OF AE
IN THE COUNTY, WE LIMIT THE NUMS THAT CAN BE AVAILABLE AND, THERE
TIMELINESS OF RESPONSE. AND AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, BY TT
TRAINING DOES ALLOW FOR A LOT OE RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY REQUESTS .
SO, THIS LEADS ME TO THE SECONDH IS, THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIEG
PARAMEDIC -- ALLOWING FOR PARAMT RESPONSES, AS WELL AS OTHER B.L.
AND IT'S SIMPLE MATH. IF WE HAVE 100 PARAMEDICS AND WO
PARAMEDIC PER AMBULANCE, WE CAN0 AMBULANCES.
IF WE ALLOW FOR AN EMT AND A PAD AMBULANCE, NOW WE CAN HAVE 100 .
AND, THEREFORE, DISTRIBUTE THEMD HAVE MORE TIMELY RESPONSE.
AND AS TIM MENTIONED, EMTs AND S WORKING TOGETHER HAVING BEEN A R
APPROPRIATE RESPONSE. AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THO
THIS IS IF WE HAVE MORE AMBULANR CALLS THAT REQUIRE TWO PARAMEDID
THAT WE HAVE TWO PARAMEDICS THAD CONTINUE TO CARE FOR THE PATIENG
TRANSPORTATION IS INCREASED. SO WHATEVER VALUE WE HAVE WITH F
ONE HAS TO DRIVE, WE REDUCE THAE TIMES WHEN TWO PARAMEDICS ARE N.
AND THEN, FINALLY, THERE'S A HI, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN IN IT SINCE '8E
PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH Dr. PO WAS AROUND WHEN THE ORDINANCE WD
LIKE TIM MENTIONED, THE ORDINANE TIME.
WE'VE UPDATED, WE'VE MODERNIZEDA PARAMEDIC IS MORE THAN AN APPROD
THAT'S THE MODERN EMS SYSTEM. THANK YOU.
>> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y. LAST ON MY LIST IS MARTIN.
OKAY, GREAT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT K
TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, TO THE T? ORDINANCE 9.
GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE.
THANK YOU, ALL, FOR SHOWING UP R TESTIMONY.
IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THAT WILL WRAP UP IN-PERSON COM.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CHECK ONE MF TO SEE IF WE DO HAVE ANY MORE C.
>> MADAM CHAIR, THERE ARE NO CA. >> Commissioner Conley: THANK Y.
SO, WITH NO OTHER CALLERS, I WOA MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEAR.
>> Commissioner Fernando: SO MO. >> Commissioner Goettel: SECOND.
>> Commissioner Conley: MOTION D AND SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNI. [ COMMISSIONERS VOTING ]
THOSE OPPOSED? [ NO RESPONSE HEARD ]
THAT ITEM PASSES. THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA.
>> MADAM CHAIR? >> Commissioner Conley: YES.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? >> Commissioner Conley: YES, PL.
>> Commissioner Lunde: AND I ONE WE HAVE LITERALLY EVERYBODY IN .
I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, MAYBE,O SPOKE COULD PROVIDE THE COMMISSE
AN EMAIL OR A MEMO ON, I KNOW TE RESPONSES, I KNOW HCMC HAS A DOT
SOMETIMES IN A ROVER, WE HAVE OT JUST THIS ONE CREW, THERE'S OFTY
CREWS, THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAW THAT, AND I'M GUILTY AS CHARGEDN
PARK MOVE FROM A VOLUNTEER FIREL FIREFIGHTERS AT BRB ARE EMTs --K
ARE EMTs AND MANY ARE PARAMEDICW THERE'S A MULTIPLE SYSTEM OVERLS
IF YOU COULD PROVIDE US WITH TH. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME.
I ASK, MADAM CHAIR, LITERALLY ED BE ABLE TO RESPOND ARE SITTING .
>> Commissioner Conley: YOU'RE Y RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNED.