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Baker County approves letter supporting Baker City Fire backup ambulance; first reading held on Ambulance Service Area update
Summary
Commissioners approved a letter to Oregon Health Authority endorsing Baker City Fire as a backup ambulance provider and held first reading of an updated Ambulance Service Area ordinance; public testimony included Baker City’s manager.
Baker County commissioners voted to send a letter to the Oregon Health Authority supporting Baker City Fire Department’s request to contract with Pioneer Ambulance as a backup ambulance provider, and held the first reading of an ordinance updating the county Ambulance Service Area (ASA) plan.
The support letter, moved and approved by the board, asks the Oregon Health Authority to accept an agreement permitting Baker City Fire personnel to act as a third-ambulance/backup resource when Pioneer Ambulance’s units are committed. The board approved the letter with an instruction to keep a copy of the underlying agreement on file.
The ASA update was presented in a public hearing at which county staff summarized changes intended to incorporate added emergency providers and to address Oregon Health Authority requirements. Jason Nanjapal, who described the ordinance updates during the hearing, said the update focuses on “the ability to add additional emergency providers if needed.” The county scheduled continuation of the hearing to March 5, 2025 at 9 a.m. to allow additional review and written testimony through March 4 at 4 p.m.
The hearing drew a public statement of support from Barry Murphy, identified in the record as Baker City’s city manager. Murphy said the city “is in support of this. It’ll fill a need that we see based on some of the times that Pioneer isn’t able to meet all the demand based on having two ambulances out already, and we’ve got qualified folks.”
County counsel reported that the ASA plan had been through a prior work session and that Jason had gone page-by-page with commissioners on the proposed changes. County staff noted that Oregon Health Authority requested some map changes (adding city names to a response-time map) as a recommendation; the presenter said the map change had not been added because it would clutter that particular response-time display, though other maps include city names.
The board recorded no public testimony in opposition during today’s hearing. Commissioners moved, seconded and approved the first reading of the ordinance. They then moved to continue the hearing and set the deadline for written testimony at 4 p.m. March 4, with a continuation of the hearing at 9 a.m. March 5, 2025.
The board also approved, earlier in the meeting, the OHA support letter that the county will forward to the state; county staff requested that a copy of the contract between Baker City and Pioneer Ambulance be placed on file for county reference.
The ASA ordinance and the support letter are separate, formal items: the letter is a recorded, approved action; the ordinance remains subject to the continuation hearing and any additional submissions before a final vote.
