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Bryan to pilot basic-life-support transports with Williams County EMS under six-month trial
Summary
Council heard a proposal for the fire department to perform basic life support transports under an MOU with Williams County EMS, a six-month trial that would use a county vehicle and allocate 10% of recovered transport revenue to the city.
The Bryan City Council received an update March 17 on a proposed memorandum of understanding with Williams County EMS that would let Bryan’s fire department perform basic life support (BLS) patient transports during a trial period.
Staff said Williams County EMS has struggled with personnel and coverage, and the proposed arrangement would make a county-owned vehicle available to the city for BLS transports from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. within the city limits and most of the fire district (excluding Hillside). The city’s contribution would be operational staff and routine vehicle maintenance; Williams County EMS would retain responsibility for advanced-life-support (ALS) care and for runs requiring paramedics and controlled medications. The MOU under discussion also proposes that the city receive 10% of recovered transport revenue for transports performed under the agreement.
City staff described the plan as a short-term, six-month pilot to buy time while Williams County EMS addresses staffing and financial pressures. The two organizations will track public feedback, operational impacts and revenue during the pilot, and either party can terminate with 30 days’ notice. Staff said the city will not invest in major ambulance capital or specialized equipment for the pilot in case the arrangement ends after the trial.
Council members asked about maintenance responsibilities, radio and dispatch compatibility, impacts on firefighter availability and how the agreement would interact with the existing first-responder program. Staff said routine maintenance (oil changes, bulb and battery replacement, minor in-house work) would be performed by city crews, while engine or brake repairs would be outsourced. Radios and dispatch exist on compatible systems and the parties have tested paging and tone selection. The council did not vote on the MOU that night; staff said a finalized draft MOU would be presented at a future council meeting after the county prosecutor drafts and the city attorney reviews it.
