DEPARTMENT: San Antonio Fire Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Charles N. Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
FY 2019 Affiliation Agreement between SAFD and ACD
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of an Affiliation Agreement between Alamo Colleges District, on behalf of San Antonio College and the City of San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD), Emergency Medical Services Division. Alamo Colleges District has a curriculum in Allied Health and Nursing Education that requires students to gain experience through patient contact. As part of the clinical practice phase of the curricula, students will be riding on Fire Department Emergency Medical Service vehicles to the scenes of emergency responses and will be assisting SAFD Paramedics. This will offer a valuable hands-on training experience in the emergency medical field for students who will be serving the medical needs of residents of San Antonio in the future.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Alamo Colleges District is a junior college district and a political subdivision of the State of Texas. Alamo Colleges has a curriculum in Allied Health and Nursing Education. As part of this curriculum, students are required to participate in a minimum number of patient contacts. This agreement will help facilitate patient contact opportunities.
Alamo College's obligations will be to assume full responsibility of the planning and implementation of this program by writing clinical objectives and have an on-going evaluation of the performance of the assigned students, communicate directly with a designated member of the Fire Department regarding matters relative to the operation of this program, notify the Fire Department of its planned schedule of student assignments, advise the assigned student of the responsibility of complying with existing rules and regulations of the Fire Department, and appoint a faculty member to provide the on-site supervision during the program. In addition to these mentioned assurances, Alamo Colleges will maintain a professional liability insurance policy for students and faculty with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate coverage. Each student will be required to sign a waiver of release to the Fire Department.
Students will be assisting Paramedics at emergency scenes and will gain valuable hands-on patient care experience, but the Paramedic will retain ultimate responsibility for patient care. The public will benefit from these experiences as these students are the future medical providers for the residents of San Antonio. SAFD has had an affiliation agreement with ACD since 2012.
ISSUE:
Under this agreement, San Antonio College students will receive training under the control and supervision of Alamo Colleges District. There will be no expense incurred by the Fire Department as part of this agreement. This program will not result in, nor is it meant to displace employees or impair existing contracts for services.
ALTERNATIVES:
This agreement provides an opportunity for Alamo Colleges District students to obtain clinical experience in the emergency medical field.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There will be no fiscal impact as a result of entering into an agreement with Alamo Colleges District.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this Ordinance for the execution of the Affiliation Agreement between City of San Antonio Fire Department and Alamo Colleges District to provide patient contact and training for students attending San Antonio College.