Carmel council authorizes staff to pursue ambulance contract with Monterey Fire amid staffing risks

The Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council voted unanimously to direct staff to proceed with contracting ambulance services to the City of Monterey, following staff warnings that the city's current staffing and management model creates a measurable risk of losing paramedic licensure (referred to in the meeting as "201 rights").

Brandon (staff) summarized the background: the city has operated an ambulance service in one form or another for roughly 90 years, but state-era licensing and reporting requirements — and the administrative burden of meeting those standards — have made management complex. Brandon said the city had experienced staffing problems that led to roughly 30 days of ambulance outages over the prior 12 months. He presented three options and recommended a five-year contract with…