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Hot Springs board rejects ordinance awarding exclusive ambulance franchise; LifeNet to remain while officials sort next steps
Summary
After more than three hours of public comment and presentations from providers and local doctors, the Hot Springs Board of Directors declined to adopt an ordinance awarding an exclusive franchise to Survival Flight EMS LLC. The motion failed and the board signaled staff will continue working with existing providers while reviewing process issues.
The Hot Springs Board of Directors voted not to adopt an ordinance that would have awarded an exclusive ambulance franchise to Survival Flight EMS LLC, ending a months-long procurement review without replacing the city's current primary provider.
The decision follows a staff-initiated request for proposals, a four-member review panel that ranked Survival Flight first, extensive public comment, and a contentious evening of presentations from company representatives, local physicians and hospital leaders. City staff had placed a draft franchise ordinance on the agenda and recommended awarding the contract to Survival Flight based on the committee scores.
Why it matters: the city issued an RFP for ambulance services last autumn after the existing franchise period lapsed. Emergency medical transport is a core public safety function that affects response times, hospital workflows and billing practices for uninsured patients. Changing providers would have required an operational handoff while preserving service levels through the tourist season.
The review committee — made up of the deputy city manager, the police chief and two fire department officials — ranked Survival Flight highest across qualifications, proposed method of service, capability/availability and cost. Survival Flight representatives told the board they would post a minimum of six ambulances in Hot Springs on day one, maintain a local dispatch center and provide training resources. Survival Flight also emphasized its existing air-medical presence in Hot Springs.
LifeNet, the incumbent provider, and its new chief executive Alicia Haley and COO Brett Piney strongly urged the board to keep the current franchise in place. Haley said LifeNet performs ongoing community training, “puts people first” and holds current certifications and accreditations. Multiple doctors from CHI St. Vincent and other local medical leaders spoke in support of LifeNet’s continuity and local relationships.
Several physicians and hospital leaders told the board they had not been consulted in the procurement process and asked for greater medical oversight of any vendor selection. Dr. Jason Pelton, director of the cath lab at CHI St. Vincent, said, “LifeNet has been here for 20 years…and I don’t see a benefit to making such a drastic change without a clear reason.” Dr. John Webb, who participates in state trauma review, urged the board to preserve the stability and trauma care partnerships that have developed with the incumbent provider.
After public comment and discussion, the board did not adopt the ordinance to grant an exclusive franchise to Survival Flight. Several directors said they wanted more medical-community input and a re-check of the procurement process before committing to a different operator. City Manager Bill Burrow told the board staff would follow up on next steps and that, if the board declines to award a franchise now, staff would reopen negotiations with existing or other qualified providers as appropriate.
What the board decided and what happens next: the ordinance to award an exclusive franchise to Survival Flight EMS LLC was not adopted. The effect of the vote is that the board did not finalize a handover to a new exclusive provider this evening; staff and public-safety leadership will meet with providers and local medical stakeholders to determine next steps and oversee continuity of service during any transition period. Mayor Pat McCabe said staff should work to reestablish or expand a medical peer-review or EMS advisory group to monitor quality and response metrics.
Quotes
"We put people first," Alicia Haley, chief executive officer of LifeNet, said in her remarks about the company's community programs and clinical accreditation.
"Do the right thing always," Andy Arthurs, vice president of Survival Flight, said, describing his company's operating motto and approach to EMS staffing and training.
Ending
Board members said they wanted the city to preserve uninterrupted emergency coverage while improving oversight of clinical quality and the procurement process. Staff will return with options for how to proceed — including potential re-negotiation with the incumbent provider, additional medical-stakeholder review, or a revised competitive process — before the board takes any new contractual action.
