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CVFD Fire Chief Testifies to Address Ambulance Delays
CVFD Fire Chief Testifies to Address Ambulance Delays
Chino Valley Fire District Fire Chief Dave Williams testified on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 before the State Assembly Emergency Management Committee to address concerns related to Ambulance Patient Offload Delays (APOD) and other challenges within the EMS system that are negatively impacting public safety in San Bernardino County and communities across California.
One of the most significant impacts to the EMS system that is jeopardizing public safety is the ambulance delays occurring daily within our communities, arguably making it the most significant emergency medical service crisis in the state’s history.
When ambulances are being held at local Emergency Departments due to APOD, and resources shift away from the Chino Valley, it is only a matter of time before a community member faces the risk of dying because they are not able to be transported to the hospital.
“Patients having to wait on the wall at the hospital or in the street for extended amounts of time is simply unacceptable, said Fire Chief Dave Williams. “Our goal is to get our community members who are experiencing a critical medical condition to the hospital in the most expeditious manner and it is our belief that this approach includes holding the receiving hospitals accountable for processing incoming patients in a responsible and timely manner and breaking down barriers that prevent agencies from using their available resources to enhance public safety.”
Fire Chief Williams also requested that the committee consider rewriting outdated laws that prevent fire departments from transporting patients to the hospital if they were not doing so prior to June 1980. The Chino Valley Fire District, along with dozens of other agencies, wants to collaborate on changing the law to ensure the safety of our communities. Due to the current law, the Fire District is not able to transport patients to the hospital outside of the current emergency agreement.
The Fire District thanks Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez, who serves as the Chairman to Emergency Management Committee, for the opportunity to testify on challenges facing the EMS system and to propose changes in existing law to better serve the public.
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