SPCAD says AMR ambulance response times better than KCFD, but still not at contracted goal

American Medical Response (AMR) is still settling into their new role as the ambulance provider for the Southern Platte County Ambulance District (SPCAD). At last week’s regular monthly meeting, AMR gave an update to the board of directors on their progress of establishing a staging area out of Parkville and presented the first 90 days of data on response times.

AMR operations manager Cam Hendry’s report on response times to life threatening calls showed they were able to respond under their goal of a nine minutes 71% of the time in November, but only 55% in December. While these times do not meet the 75% standard outlined in their contract, they signal improvements over the first quarter of 2012 when the Kansas City Fire Department responded in less than nine minutes only 48% of the time.

One reason the response times are not meeting their goal is due to the pro-longed process of establishing a home base and staging area for their ambulance units. Paramedics on 24-hour shifts are required to have sleeping quarters available in between calls. Due to zoning and fire sprinkler requirements, AMR’s original location preference, an industrial space off Bell Road, did not meet code, so they needed a different location.

“We located a building at the Parkville Commons and are working with the owners. So we’re trying to make sure that building will work, it has sprinklers which the fire inspector insisted on,” Hendry said. “The previous building didn’t have a sprinkler system and the cost to install one is extremely high. We hope to have an answer on that particular space next week and I’m hopeful it will be positive.”

Since October, AMR has staged these units out of a motel off Prairie View Road, which due to lack of lodging within the district itself, was the closest viable option. Hendry said 66% of the calls out of this location have not met their response time goal.

“It’s not in South Platte or Parkville, which is where we want the station to be situated. That has had an effect on our response times. Relocating closer to the area will help correct that,” Hendry said. “That is where the largest volume of calls comes from. During the day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (12-hour shifts) they are posted in Parkville though.”

Hendry indicated it usually takes approximately 20 weeks (approx. 140 days) to collect enough call volume data to evaluate trends and base response times off.

With two ambulances currently stationed in the district, there have only been a handful of times where a third has been needed to respond. Since mutual aid agreements have not been established with the neighboring jurisdictions of the Northland Regional Ambulance District or the Kansas City Fire Department, AMR has made plans for a third ambulance to automatically move to serve in an on-call capacity in the case two stationed ambulances are on calls.

Board President Bobby Kincaid said he was satisfied with AMR’s progress and improvement over the previous response times in their couple months.

“Everyone that we get information from says they are doing a good job,” Kincaid. “I have not heard very many complaints.”