EMS Air Medical Program

The Board of County Commissioners of Escambia County (County) is seeking proposals from interested and qualified firms with the ability to provide air medical services to include critical care medical services in the out-of-hospital setting, within the interfacility setting, and the ability to bring two critical care level providers to the patient side. These services will include 911 scene and hospital to hospital interfacility. These critical care services should allow for more acute care with expanded medical scope of practice, advanced medical technology, and expedited transport opportunities. The opportunity for expedited transport should allow for reduced out of hospital time and reduce morbidity and mortality of critically ill or injured patients. These services should include the ability to provide advanced specialized mechanical ventilation, blood product administration, advanced pharmacology, advanced airway management with the ability to perform rapid sequence intubation (RSI).

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being released to invite interested and qualified firms to prepare and submit proposals in accordance with instructions provided where a successful candidate will be selected and invited to enter into a contractual relationship with Escambia County for the services outlined in this RFP (Agreement).

In this RFP, the terms Proposer, Vendor, Contractor, Respondent, and Provider are used interchangeably unless the context indicates otherwise.

Escambia County is the westernmost and oldest county in the state of Florida. The population was approximately 325,000 in 2022. The county seat and largest city is Pensacola. Escambia County is included within the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area. The County population has steadily increased as the City of Pensacola and its surrounding communities continue to grow with residential and commercial development. The county is part of the Northwest Florida region of the state.

With snow-white sandy beaches, Pensacola has become a top tourist destination, with approximately 2.5 million visitors in 2023, substantially increasing the seasonal number of people in the County. Escambia County is home to the University of West Florida with over 14,000 students and Pensacola State College with approximately 26,000 students. There are three major hospitals located in Escambia County:

• • Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital has 566 beds and offers 24/7 emergency care with Level I Trauma Center, a comprehensive stroke center, PCI capable facility, Pediatric Trauma Center, and a Maternity and Women's Health Center.
  • Baptist Hospital has 492 beds and is a Level II Trauma Hospital, stroke center and PCI capable facility.
  • HCA Florida West hospital has 515 beds and is a comprehensive stroke center and PCI capable facility.

FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 HIGHLIGHTS FOR EMS

• Responded to over 67,403 calls for service.

• Completed over 43,960 transports.

• • Facilitated the transport of 170 patients via air ambulance.

• Facilitated more than 930 CORE appointments, which is a free recovery program for those struggling with opioid use.

• Participated in over 277 special events.

• Added eight new ambulances and three new supervisor SUVs to the fleet.

• Added 14 additional full-time EMS positions.

• Added Tele911 to the capabilities of EMS. This allows for access to a physician on scene for patients who do not require EMS transport to a hospital to help facilitate treatment at home. Tele911 has been used more than 830 times so far during this fiscal year.

• Updated EMS protocols and began rollout and training to provide the most up to date emergency medical care and treatment available to the citizens and visitors of Escambia County.