Cathy Salustri
An ongoing agreement with Pinellas County regarding emergency medical services was renewed by the Gulfport City Council at its Sept. 6 meeting.
Council voted to authorize a two-year agreement, starting Oct. 1, which it can renew in five years. Under this agreement, the Gulfport Fire Department provides advanced life support first-responder services – funded by Pinellas County.
For the upcoming fiscal year, Pinellas County will pay Gulfport $954,108 to provide these services. This money covers the salaries of Gulfport’s paramedics, as City Manager Jim O’Reilly explained to the Council.
“Pinellas County contracts with various municipalities to provide emergency medical services,” he said. “Subsequently they fund the paramedic aspect of our fire department.”
Gulfport purchased Rescue 17, the vehicle used by the paramedics, two years ago with Penny for Pinellas dollars with the understanding that the County would fund the paramedic positions, O’Reilly added.
Pinellas County code identifies the Pinellas County Medical Services Authority as the special district created for the purposes of providing emergency medical services, according to a city staff report.
“The Authority has determined that a single-tier all Advanced Life Support EMS system with a first responder component and a transport component is in the best interest of public safety, health, and welfare,” the report stated. “The Authority has contracted with various municipalities and fire districts to provide first responder services. The City of Gulfport via the Gulfport Fire Department is one of these municipalities.”
The new agreement covers changes that were made to the current contract, including reimbursement for patient transports to the hospital using Rescue 17, officials said. The agreement also specifies medical supplies and equipment authorized by the Authority.
In other business, the Sept. 6 meeting saw a vote to approve the renewal of a general insurance coverage contract with Public Risk Management of Florida.
Gulfport has been a member of the Public Risk Management Property and Casualty Insurance pool for more than a quarter-century, according to officials. This year’s overall renewal rate on all current lines of coverage is $1,045,206 – an increase of 14%, in line with inflation rates.
O’Reilly called the hike “the industry standard” and added that the budget accounts for the increase.
Gulfport again earned a safety credit, which assisted in reducing total overall premium costs. Officials said that resulted directly from maintaining an effective safety manual. Gulfport earned an additional credit for maintaining a drug-free workplace policy.
