I heard a nasty rumor early this morning that the Quick Response Vehicles (QRV) would be leaving Bethel Island. I was able to receive confirmation that July 15 will be the last day these services will be available from the Bethel Island Fire Station.
The problem now is finding housing and a location for future services to ensure response times are effective.
QRV’s are non-transporting, single-paramedic-staffed units designed to respond as part of a first response team to bring paramedic-level services to areas without fire paramedic staffing. Essentially, it provided a higher level of service to accommodate firefighters in first response situations. QRV’s as currently staffed, were never capable of functioning as an independent first-line medical response and never were going to shorten response times.
On a temporary basis, AMR will replace the Bethel Island CRV with a 24-hour paramedic-staffed ambulance.
Here is a copy of the Letter in PDF Form AMR_QRV June 28
BurkforOakley 
I would encourage people to read this document carefully. For the time wasting discussions we are having about leaving engines in station as some sort of cost savings idea. The EMS response system is not designed, nor was it ever intended to be, a replacement or substitute for engines responding for setup and prep for transport. AMR remains primarily set up in Contra Costa County for transport only. The QRVs are only here because we haven’t taken the next step to putting paramedics on engines which was the long range intent all along.
This comes right from the top at the county’s EMS group, so this should hopefully put this idea to rest.
did you all read the same letter that I did? from an ALS and get to the hosp quick this a great upgrade for BI. In this county having an ambulance to transport super close is statically way more impactful transport than having a fire engine the same distance away.
Speaking of fire engines and transport and recognizing that how things are done in this county are not not always the best or only way. Did you all know that in one of the lowest tax revenue states in an old middle class city, they have full on fire engines that actually can transport patients? I happened to see an incident in this city were a paramedic ambulance and engine both came to an accident and both ended up taking people in, seemed like a good way to go even though they were tying up an engine (the hurt patient getting a quick ride did not care) this city also operates their own paramedic ambulances at a ‘profit’ (just like AMR). go figure. But I will tell you something…they do not have a FD comp plan at the level of this county and they do not have a problem finding qualified employees.
This is a BOS and union problem and it will probably never truly improve in this county until that fact is understood and action in that regard is taken.
cheers!
jb
Jeff, you better re-read the letter. The words “relocation” and “closure of the station” in the first paragraph are your clues. It follows with “Suitable housing and location for effective operations have not been found for the displaced unit”.
You could always pick up the phone and call Pat Frost if you’re still not sure.
You can’t house a private sector company in a public sector facility(the BI station) by themselves under the current contract. It would be gifting of public funds.
The anonymous citations of how other districts do it still doesn’t serve any meaningful dialog here. Cite the actual fire district so full comparisons of the facts can be made. At this critical juncture cherry picking headlines serves no purpose here.
this is truly one of the most f-ed up things I have ever seen posted. it is not posted as an opinion, I can tolerate crazy opinions…but I can no longer tolerate H-S that is spewed as fact czst in cement. So the people of BI can’t have an ALS/transport service that has been offered due their own tax money being ‘gifted’ to provide lodging for the providers of this needed service (that is not paid for with tax $$). Pure H-S. No wonder this state and county are in the toilet.
Jeff, where are you going with this hissy fit?
Nobody is denying people access to the ALS/transport offering. You just can’t house a private for-profit company stand alone in a publicly funded facility. Simple concept. It’s the law. Neither the BoS or the union wrote it, so your rage is misplaced.
Nothing precludes AMR from renting a space on their own dime right next door to the current location if they wanted to.
Your $16/mo savings plan has unintended consequences. If you didn’t understand that, you weren’t paying attention. This one is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. No offense to the BI folks. The bigger loss is with the engine going away. The real dominos of tragedy don’t get started until after 8am tomorrow then the station closures take effect.
Tip: you don’t want to be the second one calling 911 for service from your closest station. Because no one will be home.
The up grade of the QRV to a transporting ambulance is a huge plus to the community . This has been a long time coming. Not only will this provide expanded service to the island it also speeds up the service to summer lakes and the eastern side of Oakley . Another huge plus is the city of Brentwood will have a more fluid deployment when it comes to ambulance service with the removal of 99 the 24 station it will be replaced with several split 12 hour night and day shifts. This will droop the 7 min average response times to close to 5-3 mins , a massive improvement for the area. Being a emloyee of AMR I’m impressed of how the company I work for has steped up to the plate and improved service . Although this was a much needed improvmemt some time ago .
Thats funny Brad cause not very long ago you were claiming how your company has issues and you would not have a problem at all with “another patch” on your sleeve. But there you go Brad now you may end up getting the pats on the back that you have always wanted cause after all that what you are all about. Pat, Pat Pat there you go Brad is that better.