Tag Archives: Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services
Integral Care set to address most mental health emergency calls without involving APD
Last week, City Council approved an additional $1.3 million for the Integral Care-EMCOT program next fiscal year, increasing the budget for the Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team by about 75 percent. With those extra dollars, Integral Care, the mental health…
Public Safety • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 18, 2020
Public Safety budget discussion wrestles with demands to defund APD
Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo gave the Public Safety Committee a public safety budget overview at its meeting on Monday. Much of the discussion centered around the Austin Police Department budget. Community members and some City Council members have…
Budget • By Nina Hernandez • Jul 21, 2020
Public safety departments run modified cadet classes during pandemic
At the Public Safety Commission’s Monday meeting, Austin Police Department, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services and Austin Fire Department representatives discussed how cadet classes that were delayed due to Covid-19 (and other issues) will move forward. ATCEMS Chief of Staff…
Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • Jun 3, 2020
Austin 911 operators effectively field calls, but audit finds gaps in dispatching overall
Operators field roughly a million calls for emergency services in Austin a year. A new city report says those operators do a serviceable job of answering that glut of calls, but found a disconnect between those calls and the delivery…
EMS • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Feb 27, 2020
Low morale in Austin’s public safety departments requires attention
The Public Safety Commission heard a variety of concerns at its Oct. 1 meeting in regards to the chronic low morale that public safety officers are experiencing within their respective departments. “It is pretty unanimous the officers are really getting…
Public Safety • By Jessi Devenyns • Oct 2, 2018
City, EMS negotiators reach tentative deal
Labor negotiators for the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Employee Association and the city of Austin have reached a tentative agreement. Council is scheduled to discuss the proposal today in executive session. Union President Tony Marquardt said union members have…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Aug 21, 2018
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City budget boosts spending for homelessness services
The new city manager and City Council agree: The city needs more money to address the homelessness situation. The proposed Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget submitted by City Manager Spencer Cronk includes $3.1 million in new spending on homelessness-related services. That’s…
Austin • By Jack Craver • Aug 17, 2018
Commission votes to expand Injury Prevention Program
In an effort to support the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Service’s efforts to reduce preventable injuries, the Public Safety Commission passed a motion to fund and expand the county’s Injury Prevention Program at its May 7 meeting. Lisa Sepulveda, Austin-Travis…
Public Safety • By Sommer Brugal • May 8, 2018
As talks end, EMS union, city at stalemate
Unlike the unions for police officers and firefighters, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Employee Association could not reach an agreement with city of Austin management on Monday. Employees will continue to work under civil service rules, but there is…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Nov 2, 2017
Public safety agencies envision big staff increases
In presentations to the Public Safety Commission Monday, leaders of the Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Management Services called for significantly boosting staff in the coming years, both to make up for existing shortages and to keep up with…
Public Safety • By Jack Craver • Jun 6, 2017
Voters to decide on new emergency services district in Southeast Travis County
Residents in Southeast Travis County will soon get to vote on a plan to shore up the financial health of their first responders. Last Tuesday, the Commissioners Court unanimously approved a petition to create Emergency Services District No. 15, a…
Public Safety • By Caleb Pritchard • Feb 21, 2017
Council devises short-term fix for EMS staffing
The union representing Austin emergency medical service workers won a partial victory last week when City Council voted to approve three new positions for the EMS call center. Three entry-level employees will be added to the center, and the department…
