The Seaside City Council is considering a city-operated ambulance to supplement Medix Ambulance Service, a private company that serves Clatsop County.

City councilors endorsed moving forward with the proposal, including formal negotiations with Medix and county agencies.

The Astorian reported in April that Medix routinely failed to meet response time requirements for emergency medical calls. Medix, owned by Hillsboro-based Metro West Ambulance, cited a nationwide paramedic shortage and issues related to the coronavirus pandemic as factors.

Seaside Fire & Rescue staff have discussed the possible need for an ambulance for a few years, Fire Chief Joey Daniels said.

“Now, due to the demands of the last few years and the increase in our on-scene times for medical calls — sometimes more than one hour — have seen the need to immediately consider adding an ambulance to transport when Medix is delayed,” he said.

The number of calls has steadily increased over the past 10 years, which amounts to greater stress on the system and the potential for delayed response times, Daniels said in a report to city staff. Seaside has experienced this first-hand, with crews unable to leave medical scenes because Medix is unable to make it in adequate time.

Last September, city and fire department staff met and discussed the possible ambulance service. Fire department staff researched department-based emergency medical service transport and contacted Medix and other government agencies.

They met with Tom Strecker, the general manager of Medix, who offered support to the proposal in January. During the meeting, both Medix and the city agreed that this would benefit the 911 system in Seaside and the county.

In addition to Seaside’s own incidents, Seaside Fire & Rescue would respond when available to emergency medical requests where Medix is delayed more than 15 minutes.

Calls coming into 911 would be transferred to Medix, David Rankin, the fire division chief for operations and training, said. Medix could then request an ambulance from Seaside.

Seaside would bill customers through a third-party company, City Manager Spencer Kyle said.

The fire department’s budget would be able to absorb the cost of purchasing used equipment, Daniels said.

Even with approval to move forward, it will take anywhere from two to four months to be online and ready, depending on the availability of a used ambulance and having time to outfit it going into the summer, Rankin said.

New equipment could cost $250,000 or more and would take up to two years for delivery. A used ambulance from an agency in Oregon could be available to serve basic needs for between $50,000 to $75,000.

The ambulance service could bring a significant upgrade in the time it will take someone needing transport to the hospital to get the service they need, Kyle said at the City Council meeting earlier this month.

A city ambulance would also decrease the time firefighters would need to be at a scene and enable them to get back to the station faster.

The ambulance service may also provide a revenue stream for the city, Kyle said.