Multnomah County, AMR reach agreement to fix long ambulance response times

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After months of contentious debates between Multnomah County and American Medical Response, the two have finalized an agreement to address long ambulance response times in the area.

The agreement involves a 12-month staffing plan that blends their staffing model to maintain two paramedics with one paramedic as well as one EMT on new hybrid ambulances. Basic life support ambulances will be staffed by two EMTs.

“This agreement improves ambulance response times and holds AMR accountable for more ambulances to respond to 911 calls on time. When someone needs an ambulance, every second counts,” Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said.

Multnomah County will also be able to report ambulance response times for monitoring by medical service experts.

The county had been facing ambulance response time issues due to a nationwide shortage of paramedics. For months, AMR has advocated for temporarily allowing ambulances to be operated by one paramedic and one emergency medical technician (known as the 1-1 model), which was a deviation from the previous requirements for a minimum of two paramedics.

"This announcement is a real win for the citizens of Multnomah County," Rob McDonald, the regional director for AMR, said. "AMR will now be able to invest in putting more ambulances on the road, supporting our goal to provide the right care at the right time.”

Commissioner Sharon Meieran shared the following statement, in part, following the announcement on Thursday:

"Almost a year and a half ago, in the midst of a national paramedic shortage, our ambulance service was facing call volumes and acuity they had never seen before. They asked the County to be allowed to temporarily change staffing in order to respond to the desperate need for more ambulances. Their request was, unbelievably, denied.

...As an emergency physician, I know that two paramedics are not necessary to respond for most emergencies. And so I pushed back.

...What I watched unfold over the past year has been as egregious as it has been unfathomable. The lives at risk and the harm caused because the Chair as she dug in her heels and failed to act are a stain on the County that can’t be washed away.

...I’m glad there finally is an agreement. But that doesn’t erase the year and a half of people calling 911 and not getting an ambulance. Of level zeros and the pressure this put on our first responders. Of people being thrown into the backs of police cars and buses and private vehicles and fire trucks because no ambulance was available to serve them even though the Chair could have changed this with a stroke of the pen." 

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