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Sabine Parish EMS advisory board votes to pursue RFP for ambulance contract after adding third unit
Summary
The EMS advisory board said it will draft required benchmarks and issue a request for proposals for ambulance service; the board reported a third ambulance is in service and cited improved response times but also ongoing concerns about helicopter transports and billing.
The Sabine Parish EMS advisory board told the police jury April 16 that it will develop benchmarks and open a request-for-proposals (RFP) process to contract ambulance services for the parish.
Danny Asbell, chair of the EMS advisory board, told jurors the board voted at its most recent meeting "to start a process to take our ambulance service out for a request for proposal." Asbell said the board has historically relied on an uncontracted provider and wants measurable performance standards and accountability.
Asbell reported the parish recently gained a third ambulance in service, a change he credited with lowering average response times to "30 minutes or less" for each month reported so far. The board said it will assemble contract templates and sample agreements used by other parishes, and a committee will prepare required benchmarks for review at the board’s July meeting. The board expects to advertise for proposals and hopes to have a contract in place by January of the following year.
Board members and jurors discussed the board’s authority. Asbell said the EMS advisory board members are appointed by the jury and operate as a separately constituted advisory body; the board will coordinate with parish administration and the jury on procurement steps and any legal or statutory limits.
Jurors and EMS representatives also discussed helicopter use and billing. Asbell said crews and the board have worked to coordinate which air services respond and to reduce duplicate helicopter responses at a scene; he acknowledged residents’ concerns about high helicopter bills after transports that local hospitals do not keep for advanced care. "If there is concerns with that, I would be more than happy to give you my contact or my boss's contact, and he can go through the process with you and help out a little through any of that," Asbell said.
Ending: The EMS advisory board will assemble a committee to draft benchmarks and seek proposals; the board will report progress to the police jury at future meetings and coordinate with parish administration on legal and contracting steps.
