The Salem Fire Department is set to take full control of the city’s ambulance services starting July 1. This change comes after the department has already been providing advanced emergency medical services, including Advanced Life Support and quick-response services. Historically, over seventy percent of the department's calls involve medical emergencies, indicating a substantial demand for prompt medical care in the community.
The new initiative to solely run ambulance services was spurred by Falck Ambulance Northwest’s failure to consistently meet required service hours, forcing the Salem Fire Department to spend a reported $3.3 million on overtime since 2021 to cover the shortfalls. By assuming responsibility, the department hopes to not just more effectively respond to the city's medical needs, but also to qualify for Ground Emergency Medical Transport funds, which would help subsidize Medicare payments—a financial adjustment aimed to actually further support and maintain this essential service.
This transition to an Ambulance Operator Model is a strategic move based on a study conducted by AP Triton. With an eye on the future, the model seeks to ensure sustainable, efficient, and responsive ambulance services in Salem. The City of Salem published a report detailing its plans, providing an insight into the Emergency Medical Services Valuation and Optimization Study that argued for this course of action.
Efforts to seamlessly manage this transition began in May 2024 when a committee was tasked to meticulously plan and to oversee the operational shift. Using recommendations from AP Triton’s expertise and best practices for fire and emergency medical services, the committee has worked toward a July implementation of these recommendations. The city had previously identified gaps in services, leading to substantial expenses in overtime pay to fill in the necessary service hours, a financial strain that officials expect to reduce under the new operation model.
The city's decision to assume the mantle of ambulance provider is also expected to impact patient care by enabling more direct and efficient services. Information on the changes and their implementation can be found in the related reports, such as the Emergency Medical Services Optimization & Valuation Study, in staff reports from March 11 and 25, and May 13 of 2024. These documents lay out the groundwork and unanimous support from the City Council for this important transition in public health services.
