D9 Neighbors Urgent Call To Action Tuesday, November 5, 2019 - D9 Basic Life Sup

Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulance at First Station 12 (located in the Ninth District).

Changes that directly affect District 9 Neighborhoods !

Issue: Due to the current staffing shortage of Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance operators, the Fire Department will rotate personnel at the two part-time units, Stations 12 and 13 (in North and West Long Beach).

For Context: BLS ambulances often transport patients who do not require immediate medical intervention to local emergency rooms. Common situations where a BLS ambulance would respond to your call include cardiovascular or respiratory emergencies. The Fire Department is currently experiencing a shortage in BLS ambulance operators and has chosen to take BLS 12 out of service until additional operators are in place. As an alternative, the Fire Department will rotate a BLS unit between Stations 12 and 13 (located in the Seventh District – West Long Beach).

Our item coming to Council (Tuesday) this evening asks the following:

• A status update on the staffing shortage
• A plan to restore BLS units 12 and 13 as soon as possible
• A long-term plan to ensure the staffing shortage like this doesn’t happen in the future Here are some

Community Comments Considerations:

• Suggestion for a “personnel pool” to ensure there are operators on-call Similar to the Fire Reserves Streamline the hiring process for BLS operators to ensure these staffing gaps do not reoccur
• Create a pipeline into the Fire Academy; a student-to-staff model to encourage people to fill BLS ambulance operator positions
• A long-term agreement with a private company that remains on stand-by during future shortages

Please Make Sure Ninth District Voices are Heard!

Residents can submit e-comments and letters to the City Manager C/O Clerk by Tuesday, Nov. 5th at 4 pm. Link to

E-Comment: https://longbeach.granicusideas.com/meetings/3022-city-council/agenda_items/5dbccecff395e70f6f005367-21-19-1106-recommendation-to-receive-and-file-a

Thank You!!!!