Mission officials say city-run EMS cut response times and improved accountability

Mission Mayor Nori Gonzalez Garza hosted the city’s first podcast to highlight the Mission Fire Department’s transition to a fire-based, city-run emergency medical services (EMS) system and to explain how the change has affected response times, equipment and program finances.

Mayor Nori Gonzalez Garza opened the episode and introduced Dr. Ivan Melendez, Mission’s medical director; Chief Mike Silva; and Deputy Chief Joy ("Joey") Flores. Dr. Melendez said the podcast was intended to improve community understanding of healthcare access and praised the decision to highlight EMS on the inaugural show.

"Quality is our focus, but it's difficult to have quality if there's no revenue," Dr. Melendez said, summing up the program’s dual aims of clinical standards and financial accountability. He told listeners that limited data access under prior private contracts and a single-bid market left the city with little leverage to measure response times or enforce contract terms, a problem Mission aimed to solve by moving to a government-run program.

Chief Mike Silva described the program’s origins as a grassroots effort by firefighters who wanted to address perceived deficiencies from private vendors and convince council and management to pursue a municipal EMS model, a push that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Silva said American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds bought ambulances and equipment: he cited roughly $250,000 for the first medic unit, about $354,000 for a second unit and roughly $360,000 for a third, not including medical equipment and monitors. He also described a temporary memorandum of understanding with Hidalgo County that allowed Mission use of a fourth medic for a nominal $10 per month while the city built capacity.

The department contracted billing to Emergicon, a municipal EMS billing specialist, to handle complex payer rules and improve collections. Deputy Chief Joy Flores said Emergicon’s collections helped stabilize the program’s revenues and allowed the city to purchase additional ambulances without increasing the local tax burden.

"We have been very pleased with the collections rates, with the revenues coming in that really has helped maintain sustainability of our services," Flores said.

Silva and Melendez both said the city has been able to show elected officials data on call volume, collections and write-offs, which has improved oversight. Chief Silva told listeners the changes have produced measurable time savings in the field: "We've cut response times by more than six minutes since we got this program off the ground," he said, adding the department is averaging about 6.5 minutes per response compared with a cited national average of about 10 minutes.

Silva also gave staffing figures for the combined fire/EMS model: about 24 paramedics, 32 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and approximately 17 advanced EMTs, and he named local hospital partners that help with patient care and transport.

Deputy Chief Flores explained the department favors integration rather than a separate EMS division: ALS engine companies now provide advanced life support on initial arrival so medical assessment and lifesaving measures begin immediately.

Speakers credited council, city management and the community for supporting the change and repeatedly emphasized that the department’s goal is to provide high-quality, accountable care rather than to make a profit. The podcast closed with leaders thanking staff and urging continued community support as the program grows.

No formal council action or vote was reported during the podcast; hosts framed the episode as information for residents and said future installments are planned.