03 Jun RFD Moves Toward Better Medical Services

“There is a little bit of inconsistency within our own residents in the community, depending on where you live in the city. This would fix that,” said Richmond Fire Department Chief Aaron Osorio, referring to the planned transition to RFD offering higher-level paramedic services. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

In the next several years, the Richmond Fire Department could offer a higher level of first responder services that would improve treatment options and the survival rate of patients.

Richmond City Council members on May 27 moved forward with the beginnings of a years-long transition to RFD offering paramedic services, a higher level of care than the department’s current model, which is basic services by emergency medical technicians. 

Richmond is the only Contra Costa County fire agency to offer Basic Life Support services with EMTs, according to Fire Chief Aaron Osorio, as opposed to Advanced Life Support by paramedics. Current ALS services require a response from ConFire and AMR, increasing response times and sometimes providing inequitable care to residents.

“There is a little bit of inconsistency within our own residents in the community, depending on where you live in the city. This would fix that,” said Osorio, who called the potential transition the department’s third-biggest landmark since becoming an organized department in the 1900s and becoming EMTs in the 1980s. 

“This would be: No matter who shows up, what shows up, what patch is on the door or uniform, the same scope of practice is available to everybody.” 

BLS services include CPR, blood sugar testing, basic airway management, trauma and medical treatments and the ability to administer oxygen, Narcan, oral glucose and aspirin and epinephrine. ALS services are BLS services plus the ability to administer 20 additional medications, EKG management, advanced trauma and medical treatments, and cardiac pacing. 

Implementing in-house ALS services would take around five years or even longer, said Osorio, and require hiring an additional 18 to 30 paramedics, depending on the model. The cost for the implementation is around $7.78 million over five and a half years, according to a 2024 study by the Matrix Consulting Group.

Osorio ultimately plans to work towards a model that would include a hybrid team of responders who are only paramedics and those who are both paramedics and firefighters, but would start with offering services from those who are paramedics only.

Osorio said seeking out those who would solely be paramedics would mean a more diverse and deeper applicant pool. 

RFD currently employs 10 who are listed as paramedics, but Osorio said it’s unlikely each would be willing or able to fill paramedic positions because of their current assignment or other factors. 

Between 2023 and 2024, calls for service increased by 4.75%, according to Osorio, which he expects to continue based on previous data showing increasing calls post-COVID. Over 58% of calls include medical services. 

For at least 20 years, the department has unsuccessfully attempted to make the transition to ALS services. Previous studies were conducted in 2007 and 2022 before the Matrix report came to the council this year. 

Council members, with the absence of Mayor Eduardo Martinez from the meeting, unanimously supported the transition. 

“To have the ability to provide a quicker response for medical emergencies and not do it seems irresponsible,” said council member Doria Robinson. 

Robinson said the growing distance between residents and hospitals in the area — due to the closure of Doctor Medical Center in San Pablo in 2015 and the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center by 2030 — made emergency response time something the council should focus on. 

Council member Jamelia Brown said they had a unique opportunity to move this plan forward after it had previously failed to gain traction due to previous budgetary constraints or other factors. 

Osorio will come back with an update in six months that could include further details on the pathway to a hybrid service model. 

“Guess I’m going to be busy for the next five years,” said Osorio.