Austin’s police and public health departments will have extra budget and other resources available soon to help them focus on ending an increase in the use of the synthetic drug K2 downtown. At a press conference Thursday, Mayor Steve Adler was joined by several City Council members and assorted city department heads who have already […]
Austin/Travis County EMS
The Emergency Medical Service for Austin and Travis County. Co-managed by the City of Austin and Travis county.
Posted inTravis County
County orders election for new emergency services district
The Travis County Commissioners Court has called for an election this November that could create a new emergency services district in the county’s rural Northwestern corner. The proposed Emergency Services District No. 7 would largely share the same boundaries as ESD No. 1 and give a boost to the area’s medical response capabilities. ESD No. […]
Posted inEMS
City may shorten ambulance provider workweeks
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services ambulance providers are under a lot of strain as they try to keep up with population growth and an increasing number of special events, but a new proposal could reduce some of that pressure. On Aug. 12, City Council discussed the possibility of amending the proposed Fiscal Year 2015-16 budget […]
Posted inCity Council
Houston comes out against sole-source contracts
At the June 4 City Council meeting, Council Member Ora Houston voted against an Austin Water Utility contract with Austin White Lime that would allow the company to provide about 21.5 tons of lime per year to soften the city’s water. She also voted against three other contracts that were designated “sole-source” by the Purchasing […]
Posted inEMS, Public Safety
Momentum slows on Austin/Travis County EMS bill
A bill that supporters say would bring more transparency to the way Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services workers are decredentialed has slowed after some unanticipated momentum. Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services Association President Tony Marquardt has been trying to reform the rights granted to EMS workers who lose their credentials. Because Texas is a delegated […]
Posted inEMS, Public Safety
Decredentialing process gets public safety spotlight
Last week, the Public Safety Commission examined the continued tension between the city’s medical director and the Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services Association over decredentialing. Medical Director for Austin/Travis County EMS Dr. Paul Hinchey spoke to commissioners about the de-accreditation process, and why it was employed despite the fact that it does not offer a […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Clerical error causes city to overpay EMS employee by $200,000
The City of Austin has overpaid a former Austin/Travis County paramedic by perhaps as much as $200,000 over an eight-year period that began in 2004. Though the problem was first discovered in 2011, it took until 2013 for the city to correct it. According to a memo from Assistant City Attorney Lee Crawford, the […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Fleet Services says it needs more staff, bays to service vehicles
The head of the city’s Fleet Services Department told members on the Council Audit and Finance Committee last week that his department has numerous unmet needs, noting that department is short 60-80 repair bays for the city’s vehicles, including nearly 2,000 public safety vehicles. “We have about 87 bays right now,” Gerry Calk told […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Audit: EMS personnel report high fatigue rate
An audit performed by the City Auditor’s Office suggests that Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Service rank-and-file employees are overly fatigued. The document also hints that a policy of allowing patients to decide which hospital they are delivered to adds to employee fatigue – and costs taxpayers extra dollars. Auditor Ken Mory’s team presented the […]