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Cabarrus EMS seeks new vehicle telemetry system and proposes 10-year lease for cardiac monitors
Summary
Cabarrus County EMS told commissioners it plans to replace an aging telemetry system with Samsara, at a higher cost than the current vendor, and recommended a 10-year lease to replace worn cardiac monitors and auto‑pulse devices; commissioners asked for trade‑in and contract support details.
Cabarrus County emergency medical services officials told the Board of Commissioners on Jan. 6 that the county's vehicle telemetry system is no longer being supported by the incumbent vendor and that staff recommend switching to Samsara, a vendor the county already uses for about 50 vehicles.
Why it matters: The county uses telemetry to gather real‑time data from ambulances (including lights, vehicle status and limited cameras). Commissioners pressed EMS staff about contract language, ongoing support and budget impacts for this year and future fiscal years.
EMS presenter Jimmy Lentz said the county's current product "has not [been] updated by the vendor" in roughly eight years and some units are no longer functioning. Lentz said the county evaluated other companies and found Samsara was in use on 50 county vehicles. He described the cost comparison this way: the current product (referred to as PRAM) was about $10,000 annually; the new system would cost more, with the first year quoted as "28.9" and the second and third years dropping to "284" (figures as stated at the meeting). Lentz told commissioners the first‑year cost could be paid from this fiscal year's budget, and that years two and three would be planned in the FY26–FY27 budget process. Deputy Chief Jonathan Malden was present to answer technical questions about camera placement and HIPAA considerations.
Commissioners asked whether support and maintenance terms would be written into the Samsara contract and whether the system would cover both ambulance chassis and staff vehicles; Lentz said fleet and ITS staff "are very pleased" with Samsara and that it already covers 50 county vehicles.
On a separate equipment item, Lentz said the county's cardiac monitors are approaching the typical six‑year service life and recommended a 10‑year lease to replace monitors and mechanical "auto‑pulse" CPR devices. He told the board the county prefers to stay with the Zoll brand and that the new auto‑pulse units provide improved communication and more accurate reporting. Lentz described the proposed arrangement as a "10 year worry free lease," with wear items remaining county responsibility. He told commissioners the package represented a "$4,428,000 commitment annually for 10 years," and said the vendor was honoring today's price for the full lease term; trade‑in credit for existing equipment is included in that figure but the exact trade‑in numbers were not available at the meeting. Lentz said staff would provide the trade‑in details by the next day.
Commissioners and members of the public praised EMS response and staff professionalism during the discussion. No formal procurement award or contract was approved at the Jan. 6 meeting; the presenters asked for board commitment to proceed into the budgeting process for the lease and to authorize a procurement process for the telemetry replacement.
What remains open: Commissioners requested contract language ensuring vendor support, detailed trade‑in credit figures for the monitors, and precise annual cost breakdowns for telemetry. Lentz agreed to provide the trade‑in values and other requested details to the board.
Ending: Staff said they will include the telemetry and monitor lease costs in the FY26–FY27 budget process and return with finalized contract and financing terms before executing multi‑year commitments.
