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Resident questions ECMO truck status and new EMS data software; city to follow up
Summary
A resident asked why an ECMO truck is idle and requested public information about newly purchased EMS data‑analysis software; city staff said they will follow up with the fire chief and report back.
During public comment, resident David Frankel raised several fire and EMS issues: the Roslyn bridge damage (see separate item), the status of an ECMO truck and a recently purchased data‑analytics product for the fire department.
Frankel said the agreement with the University of Minnesota related to an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) vehicle had lapsed and that the fire chief had recently said the department lacked staff to use it. Frankel asked why the truck remained parked at Fire Station 1 and who owns it. He reported that the University of Minnesota Medical School told him by email it did not own or operate the truck.
Frankel also said the city had purchased a data product from a startup he called “ECMO data analysis” to analyze call volumes and peak loads; he said he had not seen a public explanation of how the software would be used and suggested a public briefing so residents could understand the tool and how the department would use data analytics for deployment planning.
City Manager Veil and the fire chief (not named in the public transcript) said staff would follow up. Veil said he was working with the fire chief to provide a response about the truck’s legal/contractual status and the software purchase.
Ending
City staff committed to consult with the fire chief and provide a follow‑up on the ECMO truck ownership/contract status and a public briefing about the department’s data‑analysis software.
