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Council approves ESO contract for fire and EMS reporting; city targets Jan. 1, 2027 go-live
Summary
City council authorized a contract with Emergency Services Online for fire and EMS reporting software after hearing that the current IMS system is near end-of-life; officials discussed prorated 2026 costs (~$8,652), a 2027 recurring estimate (~$14,000), training and hospital cost share.
City Council adopted Resolution 26R35 on July 1, 2026 to authorize a contract with Emergency Services Online (ESO) to replace the city's aging IMS patient-care reporting system used by fire and EMS personnel.
Administration told the council that IMS, used since 2014, is at the end of its useful life and that ESO offers broader capabilities including patient-care reporting, personnel management, certification tracking and inspection records. A speaker reported that Akran City Hospital (the city's medical advisor) has indicated it may cover a substantial portion of EMS costs — roughly 80% — which would reduce New Franklin’s share; the presenter cited a hospital contribution figure of about $7,098 toward the city's portion.
Finance and operations discussion centered on cost and timeline. Officials reported a prorated 2026 cost of $8,651.83 to start the platform midyear, with a projected 2027 recurring cost near $14,000 plus one-time setup and training charges. Council members asked about CAD integration and mutual-aid interoperability; staff said ESO supports data sharing with mutual-aid partners and that a technical CAD integration question was deferred to dispatch staff.
Administration said ESO customization and training would take several months and recommended a Jan. 1, 2027 go-live to avoid splitting annual EMS records across two systems. The council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution and directed staff to complete contract terms, confirm any hospital cost-sharing arrangement and schedule training and implementation activities.
"We want to have it up and operational January 1 of '27," an official said during the meeting, noting the city would prorate 2026 costs to avoid split-year records. The council asked administration to return with final contract terms and clarified renewal and termination notice periods during follow-up steps.
The next procedural step is completion of contract negotiation and onboarding tasks; staff indicated they will return to council if contract details require further approval.
