PULSE Magazine | February 2019 Issue

This article was written and published by Jim Page in the January, 1985 Issue of JEMS Magazine

Last May when I learned that the Leo Schwartz EMS Service of the Year Award would go to the City of Austin EMS Department, I wished that Leo himself could be at the NAEMT annual conference to celebrate the event. Mr. Schwartz, throughout his long and productive career at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, always had pushed for high quality in prehospital care and transportation. He was never reluctant to offer his opinion that quality could best be achieved through a separate “third service” municipal EMS agency. The EMS Service of the Year Award is one of several high points of the yearly conference of the National Association of EMST’s. The award which is sponsored by the Wheeled Coach Corporation, is based on an evaluation of entry materials submit- ted by EMS services competing for the distinction of being designated as the best in the nation. We enjoy the privilege of presenting the award on behalf of Wheeled Coach and then publishing a pictorial story about the winning service in our January Almanac issue. As it has developed, the EMS Service of the Year award is a fitting tribute to the winners of the awards and to the career of the man for whom the award is named. In our trips to Sheldon, Iowa, Durand, Michigan and Dallas, Texas, We have found organizations that are exemplary — provid- ing high quality EMS despite the typical obstacles and difficulties. In every case we have found a “can do” attitude and an unwavering commitment to reliable, state of the art of prehospital care and transportation. The Austin EMS Department is no exception. Whether volunteer or career, private, third services or fire department based, building an exemplary EMS system is an ongoing challenge. The job is never complete and there’s never an appropriate time for resting on the laurels of past achievements. I’ve been to Austin several times, and I’ve used the Austin example in speeches to

groups throughout the country.

Austin has impressed me for many reasons, but mostly because everybody in the system seems to realize that the system is being tested with each and every call. Even when things are running smoothly , the people of the Austin EMS system act hungry—they seem to possess a drive for constant self-assessment and improvement. The Austin EMS story can be traced back about 10 years. At that time, the city relied on a subsidized private ambulance service. The operator of that service demanded a big increase in the subsidy and City Manager Dan Davidson decided to study the whole issue of EMS. Davidson widely recog- nized as an exceptional manager, always sur- rounded himself with staff of bright young public administration generalists—and he delegated lots of responsibility and authority. Thus, Joe T. Austin director of urban transporta- tion, was given the task of studying the options for ambulance service. Working with a committee appointed by the city council, Joe traveled to other communities, reviewed the literature, and estimat- ed the cost of various alternatives. In January 1975, he presented a report to the city council which included three alternatives: Implement a new system through the Austin Fire Department, continue the arrangement with a subsidized private service or create a new municipal EMS agency to be financed through city general funds. City Manager Davidson recommended the third alternative and the city council agreed. A one year planning and implementation schedule was devel- oped and a quality assurance team was created. It consisted of several members, only one of whom was a physician. Chairman of the quality assur- ance team and still an active member was Michael Levy, publisher of Texas Monthly magazine. Levy is often mentioned as one of Americas most successful publishers and businessman and recently was honored by Esquire as one of 1984’s

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