Situational Report for Ellis County EMS Transition

January 26, 2015, urgent meeting request from ETEMS Operations Manager
January 27, 2015, ETEMS Operation Manager and Regional Director met with City
Managers, County Representatives, and Fire Chiefs or designees.
The following are notes regarding the meeting:

ETMC EMS will no longer offer ambulance service in Ellis County. Effective 0301-2015
Healthcare reform including diminishing reimbursements has created a
situation in which providing the service is no longer feasible.
Per our contractual agreements, ETMC EMS is requesting to assign our
current contracts in Ellis County to Careflite. Careflite would assume the
contracts as they are written as well as current EMS station leases.
This assignment would provide a seamless transition with no lapse in EMS
service for the Ellis County residents.
Any residents within Ellis County that have purchased EMS Memberships
through ETMC EMS would be reimbursed based on the actual exit date. This
will be prorated.
Careflite will assume the FRO relationships with the first responders in Ellis
County.
Careflite will interview and hire eligible ETMC EMS employees that prefer to
stay and work in Ellis County.
ETMC EMS employees that stay on with Careflite will receive their current
ETMC EMS salary and will not have any lapse in insurance.
ETMC EMS will continue to provide the same service we have provided for
years all the way through the actual exit date. We will provide a retention
bonus to keep our employees in place until the exit date.
ETMC has agreed to sell Careflite ambulances and other pertinent equipment.
The ambulance will be painted to reflect the Careflite name and color
scheme.

January 27, 2015- An announcement was distributed to the ECFCA members, and
the ECFFA members announcing the news from ETEMS.
January 29, 2015- Ennis, Waxahachie, and Red Oak Fire Chiefs met to discuss the
assignment contracts that they had received from ETEMS. Preliminary planning
discussions took place to prepare and identify task for the transition, after the
transition, and after the terms of the existing contract. The importance of unity and
transparency through the process was identified. It was important to the process to
get the City Managers and County Judge together to bring consistency on behalf the
County and Municipalities. Several service delivery options were discussed that

represented both county and municipal services models. Patient care throughout
was the focus of the conversations regardless of in town or rural remote.
February 3, 2015- City Mangers and Chiefs from Ennis, Waxahachie, Red Oak, Ellis
County Judge, 2 staff members, County Fire Marshal, and Commissioner Robinson
met to discuss the assignment contracts that each received. Conversations
revolving around to accept or not accept the assignment contract existed. There is
still conversations revolving around this subject today. Cities discussed short and
long term plans on the transition and what effect it had on the FROs and the
citizens. All identified and agreed Fire Based EMS was preferred; however, may not
be feasible due to the cost and some remote travel distances in the county. It was
determined all should work together on a performance based RFP for private
providers after this assignment period. It was not recommended to have a divided
system and felt a unified system would have more capabilities to provide consistent
services throughout the county. The cities will continue to work on building
proposals for Fire Based systems and look at options. At the same time work to
create a RFP to create a seamless county system will take place. There were
variations of FB systems discussed not limited to only running the cities, but
possibly extend into the county. The group spoke of meeting again in March after
the assignment transition took place.
February 4, 2015- Several conversations between ECFCA and ECFFA board
members on updated current events, concerns, ideas, and planning efforts.
February 5, 2015- Ellis County Fire Marshal organized a meeting on the east side
of the county with Commissioner Grayson. Several departments were represented
and concerns identified. Concern of the departments were identified and a brief
overview of current events were discussed. Communication and transparency were
of main points of interest. I dont have record of the departments represented or
additional details of the meeting.
February 6, 2015- Ongoing conversations in regards to interpretation of the
contract language and the assignment clause. Fire Chiefs have asked for
consideration of having an opportunity to provide input on who is assigned our
contracts. This is still work in progress. Fire Chiefs want to ensure the assignment
is awarded to a provider that will work well in our county for our citizens and with
our FROs. There are concerns with just accepting the assignment contract/provider
as written. We want to have input on who provides services to our citizens. This
subject is ongoing and still working on a final resolution. A focus on quality service
and patient care remains priority or the conversations.