Council adopts amendment to Chapter 37 to allow conditional ALS response

Eldora City Council voted to amend Chapter 37 of the municipal code to add a 'conditional' advanced life support (ALS) designation, allowing ambulances to respond with EMTs or advanced EMTs when a paramedic is not available.

Agency staff told the council the change is intended as a safeguard so the city's ambulance service does not risk state-ordered suspension during short-term paramedic shortages. "If someone calls in sick, an employee has an injury or a vacation schedule, then we can't get that coverage," a staff representative said, explaining that the conditional designation keeps a vehicle responding even when a paramedic is not on board.

Council members debated whether to waive the usual second and third readings and move directly to final passage. Supporters said classification paperwork already filed with the state justified expedited adoption; at least one member opposed waiving readings. After motions to suspend rules and waive readings the council completed roll-call votes and adopted the ordinance.

The council emphasized that the change does not eliminate paramedic staffing when a paramedic is needed: neighboring services and mutual-aid partners remain available to provide paramedic-level care when necessary, staff said. The council also asked staff to ensure the ordinance language matches the service's operational directives and state requirements.

The ordinance amendment will be posted with the municipal code and the city will notify emergency-service partners of the change. The city clerk will publish the formal adoption record in the usual notice locations.

The council moved on to other business at the end of the action.