Staff noncommittal on ambulance service

Erin Neff

Monday, Jan. 31, 2000 | 11:29 a.m.

How's this for advice?

Listen to all sides in the debate and then tell us what to do.

That's essentially the recommendation the Las Vegas city staff will give the City Council, which on Wednesday will help determine the fate of Southwest Ambulance's attempts to begin providing service here.

On Wednesday the council will consider Southwest's request to form an ambulance service. The Clark County Commission last month authorized Southwest to proceed with its application, but the cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas must follow suit if Southwest is to get a stake in the local medical transport business.

Hanging in the balance is not only the fate of Southwest but two other ambulance services -- American Medical Response, the city's sole ambulance franchise, and the fire department's fledgling medical transport service -- along with public health, according to arguments on both sides.

Perhaps that's why the city staff simply recommends: "That the council consider the action taken by the Clark County Commission on Dec. 7, 1999, and the results of testimony by city staff, Southwest and any opponents to Southwest's application, and direct staff accordingly."

The very public war of words between Southwest and American Medical Response -- currently the lone ambulance service in Clark County -- is not making any politician's decision easy.

"The one thing that seems to be interesting about our situation is that nobody's taking sides," John Wilson, executive partner of Southwest, said.

Wilson and co-partner Sharon Henry have met individually with council members and city staff and can't seem to get them to take a stance either way.

AMR acting chief executive Trace Skeen said he also sees a reluctance by officials to come down one way or the other.

"This is a very complicated issue to take a side on," Skeen said.

Already the two ambulance companies have feuded publicly over resignations at the executive level of each, as well as over bond ratings, level of service and stock performance.

Every new nugget of information fuels the fire.

A Standard & Poor report released Thursday about the reduced corporate credit of Southwest's parent company, Rural/Metro Corp., was faxed to the media by AMR's local public relations firm.

At the same time, Southwest questioned AMR's media campaign expenses, including billboards and newspaper advertising.

The fight already has led to one lawsuit and to high emotions from paramedics on the street to the brass at both companies.

The only recommendation the Las Vegas City Council will get from its staff is that Southwest's application complies with the city's municipal code and that it appears that the company is "suitable to operate an ambulance service in the Las Vegas Valley."

Skeen said that if the council believes the current ambulance system is not up to par, a committee should be established to put the service out to bid to one ambulance provider.

AMR claims that splitting up the service area between two providers will increase confusion and hurt patient care.

"This whole issue has only been looked at superficially," Skeen said.

But the council will have plenty of information to examine prior to Wednesday's decision.

Reports conducted by consultant Fitch & Associates, economists at UNLV, the city's internal auditors and a blue ribbon panel on medical transports all will be included for the council's decision.

Wilson said he appreciates the "open-minded" attitudes he has encountered thus far at City Hall and hopes to walk away Wednesday with approval to proceed.

"We believe there's a need for another provider here, and we plan to make that point clear," Wilson said.