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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 15418: MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH DEPT. OF STATE HEALTH SERVICESPORT ARTHUR FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM To: Steve Fitzgibbons, City Manager From: John Avery Re: Proposed Resolution 1418 Date: August 11, 2009 COMMENT RECOMMENDATION The Fire Department recommends adoption of Proposed Resolution No. 15418 authorizing the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of State Health Services to provide emergency response personnel to support an evacuation in a pending or actual disaster or as needed to respond to other events. BACKGROUND The Department of State Health Services has established a program whereby certified EMS personnel, emergency response personnel, and nurses may be deployed to provide emergency medical care, field supervision, and coordination of EMS vehicles and personnel deployed by the State in the event of an evacuation or disaster. Port Arthur Fire Department employee Mark Sastre possesses both the required medical certifications and the state training for coordinating EMS elements in a disaster. The City benefited from Fire Engineer Sastre's skills and training during the recent hurricane evacuations and repatriation. The Fire Department feels that participation in the program will provide an opportunity to continue training and obtain experience in coordinating medical special needs evacuations. BUDGET/FISCAL EFFECT Expenses and wages for deployed personnel, as well as back-fill overtime, will be reimbursed by the State. STAFFING/EMPLOYEE EFFECT None SUMMARY The Fire Department recommends adoption of Proposed Resolution No. 15418. "REMEMBER, WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PORT ARTHUR" P. R.15418 08/11/2009 jda RESOLUTION N0. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY RESPONSE EMS PERSONNEL TO SUPPORT AN EVACIIATION IN A PENDING OR ACTUAL DISASTER, OR AS NEEDED TO RESPOND TO OTHER EVENTS. WHEREAS, the Department of State Health Services has established Medical Incident Support Teams; and WHEREAS, the Medical Incident Support Teams will be utilized by the Department of State Health Services to assist in providing medical care on buses designated to evacuate individuals with medical special needs, provide field supervision of ambulance teams, and act as Regional EMS Coordinators for the Governor's Division of Emergency Management; and WHEREAS, individuals who serve on the Medical Incident Support Teams must possess certain certifications and must be trained in Medical Incident Support by the Department of State Health Services; and WHEREAS, the City of Port Arthur Fire Department currently employs an individual who possesses all of the required certifications and Department of State Health Services training; and WHEREAS, the training and certification possessed by this individual provided invaluable service in coordinating many elements of the evacuation and repatriation of Port Arthur medical special needs citizens during recent hurricanes; and WHEREAS, the City of Port Arthur wishes to continue to receive updated training for this individual related to coordinating medical special needs evacuations and to offer the skills of this individual to other entities in the state; and WHEREAS, the Department of State Health Services will reimburse the City of Port Arthur for wages, and other costs related to the emergency response of this individual, as well as backfill overtime. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: Section 1. The facts and opinions in the preamble are true and correct. Section 2. The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to execute a Memorandum of Agreement in substantially the same form as attached hereto as Exhibit ~~ A„ Section 3. That a copy of the caption of this resolution shall be spread upon the Minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED on this day of , A.D., 2009, at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: Deloris Prince, Mayor ATTEST: Terri Hanks, City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: l'7~ ~~~-G--~ Mark T. Sokolow, City Attorney APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: Steve Fitzgibbons, City Manager EXHIBIT "A" R l~(,~ TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES 1100 W. 49'" Street • Austin, Texas 78756 DAVID L. LAKEY, M.D. 1-888-963-7111 • http://www.dshs.state.tx.us COMMISSIONER TDD: 512-458-7708 EMS/MOA/EMT-0350.1 Memorandum of Agreement to provide Emergency Medical Service and Emergency Response Staff in a Pending or Actual Disaster Between: The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and DSHS Licensed EMS Providers, Texas Commission on Fire Protection Fire Departments, and EMS Trauma Regional Advisory Councils 1. Purpose The purpose of this Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is to establish a mechanism whereby certified Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel, emergency response personnel, and Nurses may be deployed to provide emergency medical care without an accompanying ambulance unit in a pending or actual disaster. These services may include but are not limited to: providing emergency medical care on buses used for evacuation, providing field supervision of deployed EMS vehicles and/or EMS personnel, and/or providing coordination of EMS vehicles and EMS personnel deployed by a Disaster District Committee (DDC), DSHS Health Service Region(s), or other assignments deemed appropriate by the Department of State Health Services. 2. Description The Department of State Health Services intends to enter into MOAs with DSHS licensed EMS providers, Fire Departments and EMS Trauma Regional Advisory Councils (Provider) to provide emergency response and EMS personnel, employed by or affiliated with that Provider, to support an evacuation in a pending or actual disaster, or as needed to respond to other events. The following list is representative of, but not limited to, the principle tasks DSHS certified/licensed EMS personnel and/or emergency response personnel might be activated to accomplish: a. Provide Emergency medical care on buses designated to evacuate individuals with medical special needs (estimated to be from 2 to 5 EMS personnel and nursing staff per bus). Bus evacuees will primarily be from hospitals, nursing homes, or the general public who have special medical needs and require medical oversight during evacuation but do not meet ambulance transport criteria. b. Provide field supervision and management of approximately 5-7 deployed EMS ambulance vehicles, staffed with EMS personnel, and will be reporting An Equa! Employment Opportunity Employer and Provider to the appropriate Incident Command structure. c. Act as Regional EMS Coordinators who will serve at any level in the Governor's Division of Emergency Management Incident Command structure as assigned. This could include an air/ground coordination team in a DDC, the State Operations Center, a Regional Medical Operations Center, or in the disaster zone and will be responsible for managing strike team leaders, task forces, and some individual EMS vehicles and/or EMS personnel. . 3. Deployment Activation This agreement may be activated only by written notification by the designated DSHS Incident Commander or his/her designees. Deployment activation, pursuant to this MOA, may occur at any time, day or night including weekends and or holidays only after an official written and signed notification of deployment letter has been sent via fax or a-mail to the DSHS licensed EMS provider, Fire Department, or EMS Trauma Regional Advisory Council (RAC), aka -Provider, with the official deployment packet of documents/forms to be utilized during the mission deployment. Upon acceptance of deployment activation, the Provider must have the requested personnel/team in route (at numbers and qualification levels set forth in the DSHS deployment notification) to the designated mission within eight (8) hours from the time it receives the official deployment notification from DSHS. For reimbursement purposes, the mission will start when the Provider personnel leaves their home base and will conclude at the time the deployed personnel returns to their home base after DSHS issues a demobilization order or the terms of the deployment authorization have been met. The Provider may increase or decrease the number of estimated staff identified in section 7 prior to acceptance of the deployment activation. Any change in the estimated number or qualification levels of the of EMS personnel that it can provide (in Section 7 below) must be made in writing and sent by the Provider to the EMS & Trauma Systems Office of DSHS prior to deployment activation. 4. Terms a. This agreement shall be in effect from the date of execution through August 31, 2014. b. The DSHS licensed EMS, Fire Department, and RAC provider must have at least 12 months of continuing experience providing local emergency medical services to live human beings in the State of Texas. c. The Provider must maintain a business office within the boundaries of the State of Texas. d. The Provider and its deployed emergency response personnel must abide by all federal, state, and local laws, including all DSHS EMS licensing and certification requirements. e. The provider will only deploy staff upon receipt and under the terms of the official deployment notification(s) as described in Section 3. f. For personnel with responsibility to provide Medical Incident Support Team (MIST) expertise, the Provider must provide personnel that possess the necessary skills and expertise in emergency management and that have taken the MIST training sponsored by DSHS. g. For personnel with direct responsibility to provide medical care and support, the Provider will only deploy staff that are currently DSHS An Equa! Employment Opportunity Employer and Provider certified as an EMT-Paramedic, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, or licensed as a Paramedic or Nurse and who have no disciplinary actions pending or who are not under investigation. h. The Provider shall deploy the EMS personnel, ordered by the DSHS deployment notification in configurations, numbers and qualification levels designated by the DSHS notification. i. Medical supervision of the EMS personnel that a provider deploys for a mission will be the responsibility of the EMS provider's medical director. Deployed EMS personnel will follow the medical protocols of their medical director. j. The Provider must assure detailed records of expenditures and time spent by deployed staff are complete, accurate, and have adequate supporting documentation. k. Deployed EMS personnel will be required to be self-sufficient for the length of their deployment and should be aware that they could be living in field conditions. The following items are suggested as part of deployment 'go kit', but the list should not be considered exhaustive: I. Cell phone and charger; i. Cash and credit card to purchase food and lodging; ii. Extra clothes; iii. Extra expendable medical supplies at the appropriate level of care; iv. Food and water; and v. Sleeping bags. m. The Provider and its deployed EMS personnel must ensure that all deployed EMS personnel will carry on their persons their individual DSHS issued EMS certification or license cards and a form of picture identification with them at all times throughout deployment. n. The Provider and its EMS personnel that it deploys are independent contractors and have no right to claim from DSHS or the State of Texas for any medical injuries that they might incurred during a mission or for State subrogation to any tort or other claims filed against them as a result of their activities during a mission. DSHS or the State of Texas do not waive any immunities from suitor liability that they have by operation of law. 5. Funding In the event that this agreement is activated in response to a pending or actual disaster, the provider may invoice DSHS as follows: a. Providers (ie. "EMS Volunteer Provider") without regularly paid staff: • Labor rate a minimum of $20.00 for paramedic, $17.00 minimum for EMT intermediate, and $13.50 minimum for EMT basic for each hour the staff are deployed plus overtime at 1 '/z times the established rate for any hours worked over 8 within each 24 hour period. • No fringe benefit cost will be reimbursed. • Actual cost for food not to exceed $36 per person per each 24 hour period of deployment or part thereof. • Actual cost for lodging not to exceed $85 per day per person. An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and Provider Personal mileage from home to deployment site and return at a rate per mile as published by the Comptroller for the time period specified or other specific travel costs (airline travel, rental vehicle, parking, etc). b. Providers with paid staff: • Actual hourly labor cost of deployed staff plus fringe benefits. • Actual cost for food not to exceed $36 per person per each 24 hour period of deployment or part thereof. • Actual cost for lodging not to exceed $85 per day per person. • Personal mileage from home to deployment site and return at a rate per mile as published by the Comptroller for the time period specified or other specific travel costs (airline travel, rental vehicle, parking, etc). • The overtime cost of EMS and emergency response personnel required to fill the regular schedule shift at its home base stations that were vacated by its EMS personnel that it deployed on the mission. c. Vehicles • Provider-owned vehicles that will be used during deployment for field supervision or team leaders will be reimbursed at $9.75 per hour plus the mileage rate currently in effect at the time of deployment as published by the State Comptroller's office. • Use of personal vehicles will only be reimbursed for mileage using the mileage rates currently in effect at the time of deployment as published by the State Comptroller's office. No other expenses related to the use of personal vehicles will be reimbursed. • Support trailers or provider owned vehicles that are not supervisor vehicles that may be used by deployed personnel if approved on the activation order by DSHS shall be reimbursed at the current FEMA published rate plus the mileage rate (if applicable) currently in effect at the time of deployment as published by the State Comptroller's Office. 6. Method for reimbursement a. DSHS will provide a method for submitting the required information for invoicing as part of the deployment notification. b. The Provider must submit accurate paperwork, documentation, receipts and invoices to DSHS within 21 days after demobilization. c. If DSHS determines that the provider has met all requirements for reimbursement, DSHS will reimburse provider within 30 days of receiving a properly executed and accurate invoice with the required paperwork and documentation. DSHS reserves the right to audit the provider's records to confirm all charges on invoices submitted to DSHS. d. DSHS reserves the right to increase rates specified in section 5 at its sole discretion. Applicant agrees to accept rate increases, if and when set. Notification of rate increases shall be posted on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD). 7. Staff estimates In order for DSHS to properly plan for staff availability for disaster response, the provider estimates the following staff who could be made available by the provider: An Equa! Employment Opportunity Employer and Provider • EMT-Paramedics or Licensed Paramedics One (1) • EMT-Intermediates • EMT-Basics • Ambulance Strike Team Leaders • Regional EMS coordinators 8. Contract Claims In the event of a breach of contract claim against DSHS is made by the Provider, the statutory process under the Texas Government Code Chapter 2260 will be used. 9. Acceptance of Agreement A Provider offering to enter into this MOA shall fully complete this MOA with the information requested herein, sign two originals of a fully completed MOA, and send both via regular U.S. mail or overnight courier to: FAX Attention: Contract Management Unit Room W-239; Mail Code: 1990Texas Department of State Health Services 1100 West 49th Street Austin, Texas 78756 In addition, a copy of the MOA, signed and fully completed by the Provider, shall also be faxed to (512) 458-7211. An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and Provider As noted by the signature (below) of the EMS Provider or its authorized agent, the Provider agrees to accept the terms and conditions as set forth in this agreement, agrees to abide by the requirements for reimbursement and waives the right to file a claim to be reimbursed for any amounts above the payment schedule amounts, as outlined herein. All amendments to this MOA must be in writing and agreed to by the Provider and DSHS. Provider name Business address Phone # Fax # E-mail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Provider contact name Contact phone # Contact fax # Contact cell # Contact e-mail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Signature of Provider or Authorized Agent Printed name Title Date Signature Printed Name: Bob Burnette Title: Director, DSHS Client Services Contracting Unit Date: An Equa! Employment Opportunity Employer and Provider