Several Months back, the Del Norte Board of Supervisors narrowly voted 3-2 to release a Request for Proposal to replace the Exclusive Right to provide 9-1-1 emergency ambulance service (EMS), currently provided by Del Norte Ambulance (DNAMB).
Del Norte Ambulance has served the Community for almost four decades.
For reasons which have never fully been explained, with no malfeasance over the decades of service, three members of the Board decided to explore the EMS market in Del Norte
Supervisors Darrin Short, Valerie Starkey and current Chairman Joey Borges voted YES to release the RFP. Supervisors Dean Wilson and Chris Howard voted NO. Both were pleased with DNAMB.
The expense to search the market is expensive. North Coast EMS was instructed to conduct a search for the EMS consultant. North Coast EMS submitted an initial invoice for just over $97,000 to Del Norte County, which directed payment from the Dept of Health and Human Services Emergency fund and, upon receipt announced EndPoint EMS Consulting of Carpenteria, California would lead the search.
This past Tuesday, EndPoint appeared before a scant audience of 23 and an unannounced ZOOM audience to explain the process of how it will recommend the new contractor or re-recommend the existing DNAMB.
The team of Nancy Lapolla, MPH, co-principal, John Eaglesham and Angelo Salvucci. MD made the presentation
The search will be divided into three sections:
• Assessment System of the Service
• Development of the RFP, a one year process
• Develop High Performance contract with North Coast EMS.
The process will cover the next 36 months and is expected to cost approximately $165,000.
The City and County are a part of the process
For reasons unknown, neither Tribe, TolowaDee-ni, Elk Valley Rancheria nor the Yurok Nation were included in the study.
Those in attendance at the Flynn Center were asked to affix different color stick pads for
• Strength
• Opportunities
• Aspirations
• Results
Then those in attendance affixed a red sticker on the most preferred amenities in each of the four categories
EndPoint then collected the red dot stickers for compilation and evaluation.
Still unanswered are the reasons the three supervisors who voted for the costly search from already financially-challenged Del Norte County.