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RAA CEO and city administration give timeline and training update on planned transfer of 911 medical calls
Summary
Richmond Ambulance Authority CEO Chip Decker said RAA has done call‑volume analysis, assigned additional trained staff and uses IAED standards; administration said a draft MOU is under city‑attorney review and that council approval will be required before DECPR transfers medical calls, while one councilmember demanded the 30‑day effective date from the June 8 ordinance be honored.
Chip Decker, CEO of the Richmond Ambulance Authority, told the Organizational Development Standing Committee that RAA has completed call‑volume analysis, will assign additional experienced call takers, and has retrained EMD‑certified staff to meet IAED standards. Decker said in‑house quality assurance will listen to call recordings and provide immediate feedback to maintain protocol adherence.
“We are prepared to receive the emergency medical calls,” Decker said, while adding that RAA will assign additional staff and provide continuous training during the transition.
Administration update and legal process: the mayor’s chief of staff (name appears in transcript with unclear spelling) told the committee DECPR has drafted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that is under review by the city attorney’s office and that administration expects to share the draft with RAA for review by the end of next week. The chief of staff said the city attorney has advised that the MOU will require city council approval before DECPR may transfer emergency medical dispatch calls.
Operational considerations: administration said seven DECPR policies will need revision and additional retraining will be required; roughly 75% of current DECPR personnel, as described in the meeting, have not processed medical calls using a transfer‑to‑EMS model and will need retraining and SOP changes.
Council concerns and timeline dispute: Councilwoman Trammell insisted the transfer should proceed within 30 days as she read the June 8 ordinance and pressed for the item to be placed on the Public Safety Committee agenda in July. Administration responded that staff earlier anticipated a longer implementation window and that legal and operational steps — including a finalized MOU and internal policy updates — are necessary before the transfer can occur.
Deliverables requested: administration committed to provide a written memo summarizing the update by July 15 and to report back to council with an update by this Wednesday on meeting scheduling and projected transfer timing.
Ending: No formal transfer occurred at the meeting; the committee requested documentation and a clear timeline from administration before any transfer of medical call‑taking responsibilities from DECPR to RAA.
