Feb. 13--TAVARES, FL-- The Lake County Commission voted 5-0 on Tuesday to integrate Lake's standalone ambulance service into the county hierarchy to form what it hopes is a more perfect union.
The idea to bring Lake EMS, an independent non-profit operation owned by the county, under the county's administration is not a new one. The idea spawned a wide-ranging, almost 20-month study from Fitch and Associates which gave their assessment of three options: integration, consolidation and a hybrid system.
County officials recommended the integrated option because it satisfied the goal of having the ambulance service under county control while saving money but still allowed the ambulance service some flexibility with its emergency workers.
The consolidation option would have absorbed the ambulance service and require EMTs and paramedics to become dual certified as firefighters. Consolidation was also the most expensive option.
John Molenda, the assistant county manager in charge of the Public Safety Department, said the county identified several ways to save money. The savings, which include eliminating redundant administrative and technology services, more than makes up for the increase in pension payments caused by Lake EMS employees becoming county workers, according to a presentation on Tuesday.
Molenda, with County Manager Jeff Cole concurring, estimated at least $500,000 in savings in the first year of implementation. The plan is to complete the integration by February 2019.
"This transition would occur over a year. We want to ensure we don't do anything too fast to disrupt any of the response, any of the workflow," Cole said.
Under an integrated system, some former Lake EMS ambulances could operate in rural areas with LCFR crews on board. The plan is to reduce response times in rural areas while also improving ambulance service to the more densely populated cities. Currently, fire and ambulance crews respond to the same medical calls. The integration will help reduce the number of resources sent. Under the new plan, some ambulances will move to "dynamic stations" where ambulances stage at predetermined areas of the county when the need is greatest instead of responding from brick and mortar fire stations.
"No units would be cut. In fact, with the rural rescue and looking at some of the data I've seen, we would be looking at probably adding units in the years to come without a doubt," Molenda said.
Support of the plan was broad among commissioners.
Josh Blake, whose District 5 covers Lady Lake and Fruitland Park, felt the integration plan seemed like a winner.
"From what I can see, no stone was left unturned in analyzing the options that are available to us. My goal has always been to provide the highest level of service in the most cost-effective manner possible ... I think (integration) is a great option," Blake said.
Leslie Campione, who represents District 4 covering Mount Dora and Eustis, said it was important to bring Lake EMS emergency workers' benefits on par with county emergency workers.
"One of the biggest concerns I have had is the morale of our Lake EMS employees, and making sure if they were in that high-risk category and they were going out to all the same calls and working side by side, they should be receiving the same benefits," she said.
Tim Sullivan represents District 1, including west Leesburg and Groveland. He is also the commission chairman and chairs the Lake EMS Board of Directors.
"This change is really for the betterment of the system. We got two, kind of, redundant systems that we can cut out duplication, that we can improve response times," Sullivan said.
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