EMS PLAN OF OPERATION

NORTH SUMMIT AMBULANCE / PARK CITY FIRE DISTRICT

History And Formation

For years the North Summit ambulance service was essentially a volunteer organization. Sometime in the 1990’s, personnel began to receive minimal compensation for emergency response work. At some point compensation was also given for three on-call positions per day, dedicated for emergency response. In 1996, Summit County hired two EMTs full-time to direct and support the ambulance service because day-time coverage during the business week was difficult to support. In the spring of 2000, the director resigned, leaving the full-time support employee to manage the service. The empty position was not filled, putting a strain on the remaining employee and the dwindling paid-call membership.

A Summit County Commissioner became involved in seeking a solution to the floundering organization. At the request of several EMTs, the Commissioner approached the Park City Fire Service District for assistance. The Fire District considered several approaches to enhancing the service in North Summit and felt that creating a model similar to the Park City ambulance service would be best. That model provides for Summit County to subcontract out EMS operational services to the Park City Fire Service District.

In February of 2001 the Park City Fire Service District (PCFSD) took over management of the ambulance service on behalf of Summit County.

Currently a PCFSD Captain, under the direction of the  Fire Chief and EMS Battalion Chief , is the EMS Manager responsible for establishing staffing levels, recruitment of EMS personnel, and providing for supervision of personnel.  North Summit EMTs are Park City Fire Service District part-time employees and are required to comply with District employment policies. Training is conducted in conjunction with the PCFSD and the resource hospital.

Presently, 21 EMTs are listed on an employment roster.  Fifteen of the EMTs are certified at the EMT-Basic level and the rest are at EMT-Intermediate.  Ten of the EMT-Basics were hired March 1, 2005. 

 

Scope Of Operations

Our scope of operations covers EMT–Intermediate ambulance transport services, community EMS and CPR education and training, and child safety and injury prevention programs.     The North Summit Ambulance Service is a paid call organization providing EMT-Intermediate ambulance transport service to a 500-square-mile area in northern Summit County. The area is predominantly rural with large agricultural tracts of land, some gas and oil drilling locations, and a couple of recreational reservoirs. There are three distinct communities (Henefer, Coalville, and Wanship) that make up the approximate 3,000 residents of the area. Two main Interstates, 80 and 84, are the main traffic arteries through the response area, which generate a significant percentage of the approximate 200 annual EMS calls.

     Three EMT positions are staffed daily for two 12-hour shifts.  Scheduled paid call personnel will drive their personal vehicles to their assigned station, meet as a partial or entire crew, and respond with an ambulance to the emergency scene. Depending on the location of crew members, some responders may meet the ambulance at the scene.  An average response time to the scene, from time of dispatch, is 20 minutes.

    

Level & Type Of Services

Currently, the North Summit Ambulance (NSA / PCSFD) provides these services by responding from three stations. These stations are strategically located throughout the 500 square miles that make up our response district.  Paramedic response is provided by the Park City Fire Service District paramedics.  The following is a breakdown of equipment, personnel, apparatus, and level of service for each area.

Station 21 – 86 East Center, Coalville.                                                                                   

Station 22 – 310 South Henefer Road, Henefer

                      

 Station 23 – 1974 Hoytsville Road, Wanship. 

Required Equipment & Supplies

The designated Intermediate Ambulances will be equipped with the minimum drug, supplies, and equipment standards as set forth in State Rule R426-15 as outlined by the Utah Department of Health, Division of Emergency Services.

 

Quality Assurance & Off-Line Medical Control

The NSA / PCFD Quality Assurance program is monitored by both the off-line Medical Director – Dr. Dave Fosnocht—and the EMS Manager – Captain Eric Hales. EMS run sheets are continuously reviewed for compliance to Standard Operating Guidelines and Summit County Patient Treatment Protocols. The patient treatment protocols are reviewed at regular intervals for identified updates and changes. Dr. Fosnocht is responsible for on-going CME and ensures the qualifications of all personnel involved in patient care. A year-long schedule of topics is established at the beginning of the year that allows each EMT to meet the BEMS minimum number of CME hours.

 

Interface With Other EMS Agencies

The North Summit Ambulance maintains a good working relationship with all of its surrounding EMS agencies. We have mutual-aid and automatic-aid agreements with, Park City Fire, North Summit Fire, South Summit Ambulance, South Summit Fire, Uinta County Ambulance Evanston Wyoming, Wasatch County Ambulance, and Morgan County Ambulance.  Park City Fire District’s Station-33 has a helipad and is a base for AirMed during most of the year.

 

Off-Line Medical Director Agreement

Off-line medical control for all three Summit County EMS agencies is established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Summit County Board of Commissioners. This MOU is established every four years by a Request for Proposal (RFP) process that invites area hospitals to bid for the contract. For the past eight years the University of Utah has been the Summit County Resource Hospital. As part of their RFP, they agree to provide the Off-Line Medical Director for all of Summit County; Dr. Dave Fosnocht, Emergency Department Physician at the U of U, who has filled this position for the past six years. Dr. Fosnocht meets all of the requirements for Off-Line Medical Director as outlined in Utah Administrative Code R426-12-1101 and R426-15-401. A copy of the MOU can be obtained by contacting the Summit County Board of Commissioners.