COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

AREA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

AND HOMELAND SECURITY

DATE:

May 11, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 6, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Don Horsley, Office of Emergency Services Area Coordinator

SUBJECT:

Purchase of “Eagle Model 754 Portable Ventilators” for use San Mateo County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution waiving the Competitive Bid Process and authorizing the Purchasing Agent to the purchase of sixteen “Eagle Model 754 Portable Ventilators” from Impact Instrumentation, Inc.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

The purchase of portable ventilators will allow EMS to better prepare and react to natural and man-made disasters and emergency incidents, therefore enhancing the safety of all residents and visitors.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Measure

FY 2004-05
Actual

FY 2005-06
Projected

Number of incidents responded to by OES staff

76

80

Percent of emergency incidents responded to within one hour

98%

100%

BACKGROUND:

The Sheriff's Area Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security serves as the fiscal agent for receipt and distribution of state Homeland Security grants received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for prevention and mitigation of potential terrorist and other major incidents as well as response to such incidents.

A portion of the 2004 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) grant funding provides for equipment purchases for emergency prevention, preparedness, and response. In the event of a terrorist attack or other hazards such as the avian flu, portable ventilators will be vital in providing necessary breathing assistance for injured persons outside of hospitals.

DISCUSSION:

The San Mateo County EMS Agency has identified a need for additional portable ventilators. The Terrorism Grant Approval Authority has approved the County’s acquisition of specific portable ventilators for use in the response to terrorism and other major events.

The Uni-Vent Eagle Model 754 Portable Ventilator is a full-featured, critical care ventilator that is capable of delivering in-hospital performance anywhere. This includes patient transports and on-scene critical ventilatory care. It includes a built-in compressor, blender, monitoring, and graphics package, and weighs less than 13 pounds. Other features include automatic altitude compensation, an in-board emergency backup ventilator, automatic LCD backlighting, and an interactive training/demo mode.

The County’s EMS Agency strongly supports and recommends the purchase of the “Eagle Model 754 Portable Ventilator” from Impact Instrumentation, Inc., which is also in the medical disaster caches of surrounding counties.

It is in the best interest of the county to waive the competitive bid process, as standardization of equipment has become a key initiative in recent emergency preparedness planning. Having similar equipment that can be supplied via mutual aid in a disaster reduces the number of different pieces of equipment that personnel must be trained to use. This improves delivery of care and reduces training costs over time. In addition, the state EMS Authority has recommended these ventilators for the County. Therefore, it would be in the best interest of the County to waive the Competitive Bid Process and authorize the purchase of 16 “Eagle Model 754 Portable Ventilators” from Impact Instrumentation, Inc., ensuring consistent equipment across the state for mutual aid response.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The purchase of 16 “Eagle Model 754 Portable Ventilators” from Impact Instrument will cost $146,121.40, which includes shipping and tax. Funding for this equipment will come from the 2004 SHSP grant.

There is no net County cost associated with this project.