M I N U T E S   FPSSC-2013-1

The Fire and Paramedic Services Related Study Steering Committee met on Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 9:49 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

Members Present:	E. Kolb*; S. McFadden; E. Moore; P. Palleschi; R. Paterak; P. Saito; Dr. S. Cheskes, Medical Director, Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine – Regions of Halton and Peel; P. Dundas, Chief and Director, Peel Paramedic Services; T. Irwin, Fire Chief, Town of Caledon Fire and Emergency Services; A. MacDonald, Fire Chief, City of Brampton Fire and Emergency Services; J. McDougall, Fire Chief, City of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services; G. Hoar, President, Caledon Professional Fire Fighters Association (Local 4686); J. Taylor, President, Brampton Professional Fire Fighters Association (Local 1068); D. Wakely, President, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (Local 277); J. D’Eath, Paramedic, Region of Peel; C. Ross Tustin, Program Specialist, Ontario Fire Marshall on behalf of D. Gannon, Operations Manager, South West Ontario Region, Office of the Fire Marshall; H. Laudenbach, Field Manager, GTA Emergency Health Services Field
Members Absent:	S. Hames, due to other municipal business; C. Varcoe, President, Mississauga Professional Fire Fighters Association (Local 1212)
Also Present:	P. Foley, Regional Councillor; D. Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer; J. Smith, Commissioner of Health Services; N. Trim, Commissioner of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer; D. Langtry, Director, Strategic Policy, Planning and Partnerships; K. Lockyer, Regional Clerk and Director of Clerk’s; C. Law, Committee Clerk; H. Gill, Legislative Assistant

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* See text for arrivals
¨See text for departures

Chaired by Councillor P. Palleschi

1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST - Nil

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION FPSSC-1-2013:

That the agenda for the October 3, 2013 Fire and Paramedic Services Related Study Steering Committee meeting be approved.

3. DELEGATIONS - Nil

4. REPORTS

a) City of Toronto Study Findings and Proposed Direction for Peel Fire and Paramedic Services Study

RECOMMENDATION FPSSC-2-2013:

That the Fire and Paramedic Services Related Study Steering Committee (FPSSC) accept the findings found in the Pomax report “A Service and Organizational Study of Toronto’s Emergency Medical Services and Fire Services,” released June 25, 2013 and shown as Appendix II of the report of the Commissioner of Health Services, dated August 22, 2013, titled “City of Toronto Study Findings and Proposed Direction for Peel Fire and Paramedic Services Study,” as satisfying the following deliverables of the Peel Study:

• A literature review and environmental scan that informs an evaluation and analysis of comparable Canadian, American and international jurisdictions to identify a full range of service delivery options;
• Identify and assess the cost and cost drivers of the services’ current practices
• Emerging challenges and risks for service delivery consideration

And further, that staff continue to review current services, activities and methods, through efficiency reviews of operations and process improvements in Paramedic Services and report periodically to Regional Council with progress, as was done with hospital offload delay;

And further, as responsibility for Fire Services fall outside the jurisdiction of Regional Council, and as the other deliverables for the proposed study have been provided by the Pomax report mentioned above, that the Fire and Paramedic Services Related Study Steering Committee not continue with the previously proposed Joint Study.

Janette Smith, Commissioner of Health Services, provided an overview of the staff report, including a brief summary of the $350,000 Pomax Toronto Study, on which it was based. She described the Pomax study’s findings and their relevance to the Region of Peel’s FPSSC, which is considering undertaking a similar study. She noted that the staff report recommends that a Peel-specific study not continue, as it is staff’s opinion that the Pomax report satisfies four out of the six deliverables of the Peel Study’s scope. She also noted that staff will continue to do efficiency reviews in Paramedic Services and report to EPSC, but cannot comment on Fire efficiency reviews because they fall outside of the Region of Peel’s jurisdiction.

Regional Chair Kolb arrived at 10:00 a.m.

In response to a question from Councillor Saito, Janette Smith noted that the Pomax consultants did consult with and interview both Paramedic and Fire Services staff in Toronto when compiling the report. Councillor Saito indicated her support for the staff recommendation.

In response to a question from Councillor McFadden, Janette Smith noted that Regional staff did not interview the Pomax consultants directly because the report provided a comprehensive description of four of six operational areas of concern to the Region of Peel. These four were general information areas where the data from Toronto could be extrapolated directly to Peel. Additional comments on the Peel case would not be able to be provided by the Pomax consultants because such discussion would require them to review or analyze Peel-specific data.

Andy MacDonald, Fire Chief, City of Brampton Fire and Emergency Services noted that he felt the report provided many examples of opportunities for improved services that the Fire Chiefs can take back to their own municipalities and look at implementing.

Terry Irwin, Fire Chief, Town of Caledon Fire and Emergency Services also noted that the Pomax report was good. He suggested the potential for a joint communication system between Fire and Paramedic Services in Peel could be a future discussion at EPSC.

John McDougall, Fire Chief, City of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services noted he consulted with Pomax and Toronto Fire Services regarding the study and that the potential improvements identified in their study are worthy of further investigation in all services and, therefore, he supports staff’s recommendation.

In response to a question from Councillor Moore, Janette Smith noted that while she could not speak to Fire Services call data, Region of Peel Paramedic Services has experienced a large growth in call volume (7 per cent growth in 2012) despite significant improvements made on offload delay through process improvements with area hospitals. She explained that Paramedic Services is continually analysing call data to determine the nature of the calls received. The data informs staff that there may be other ways to respond to calls through community paramedicine initiatives. For example staff are looking at ways to enhance and improve the Community Referral Emergency Medical Services (CREMS) program, which refers patients to their local Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) where they can be connected with the right services to meet their health care needs.

Dave Wakely, President, OPSEU (Local 277) indicated OPSEU’s support for the staff recommendation and improving the CREMS program. He indicated it is important to get feedback from the CCAC on the referrals to ensure they are making the correct referrals.

Dr. Sheldon Cheskes, Medical Director, Sunnybrook Centre for Pre-hospital Medicine – Regions of Halton and Peel, noted the Pomax report is the most in-depth report ever completed regarding the two services in the Greater Toronto Area. He further explained that he felt the results validate the high quality of service currently being delivered by Fire and Paramedic Services in the Region of Peel.

In response to a question from Councillor Moore, Councillor Palleschi noted that the staff recommendation does not specifically recommend dissolving the FPSSC formally; however given the recommendations of the Committee to Council, and upon consensus of the membership of the Committee present, it was agreed that the Committee is no longer required.

5. COMMUNICATIONS – Nil

6. IN CAMERA MATTERS – Nil

7. OTHER BUSINESS – Nil

8. NEXT MEETING

To be determined.

9. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.