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Placentia fire chief tells supervisors city needs support for ALS transports amid resistance from OCEMS
Summary
Placentia Fire Chief Jason Dobine asked the Board for assistance after the city began transporting ALS patients; he said OCEMS and county counsel have resisted and presented an OCEMS document signed by Dr. Carl Schultz.
Jason Dobine, fire chief for the Placentia Fire & Life Safety Department, used the Board’s public comment time to ask for the county’s assistance after the city adjusted how it provides advanced life-support (ALS) ambulance service.
Dobine said Placentia has operated under a contract provider since July 1, 2020, and recently began transporting ALS patients within the city. He said the city is encountering "stiff resistance" from the Orange County Emergency Medical Services (OCEMS) agency and the County Council. Dobine displayed a document from OCEMS signed by Dr. Carl Schultz dated 7/24/2024 and described differences between exclusive and nonexclusive language in the county RFP.
"What the city is being asked to do is to send an ALS unit that has 2 paramedics... and then wait for a BLS ambulance to show up to transport the patient to the hospital," Dobine said, arguing the practice sends less-capable resources to scenes and is contrary to what Placentia believes best serves patients. He asked the Board to assist the city in resolving those operational barriers.
Board response: The Chair thanked Dobine for his comments; the transcript records Clerk direction to provide the ballot/document to county counsel and no formal Board action on the request during the meeting.
