REMSA Health has renewed its franchise agreement with Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH).
The private, nonprofit organization has provided ambulance and EMS services through an exclusive franchise agreement with NNPH, formerly Washoe County District Board of Health, for 40+ years.
About one out of every six Nevadans lives in the Reno metro area.
Authorities say the proven model has been successful, with REMSA Health answering nearly 92,000 calls for service every year at no cost to taxpayers. The organization’s revenue is reinvested back into the community it serves, providing for its 600 employees who live and work in Washoe County.
“Our patients aren’t just people who call 9-1-1 for help—they are friends, family, neighbors and community members,” said Barry Duplantis, president and CEO of REMSA Health. “Being entrusted with this community’s health in times of need is our greatest privilege. With decades of experience delivering strong clinical outcomes, REMSA Health is an EMS provider worth preserving and extending and we are proud that the District Board of Health members recognized that.”
The organization is the only 9-1-1 provider serving the region that is in accordance with response time expectations set by the EMS Oversight Program, and the only provider required to have third-party oversight to maintain performance standards. For priority medical emergency calls such as cardiac arrest, choking and uncontrolled bleeding, REMSA Health maintains an average response time of 6 minutes, 1 second within Washoe County, which outperforms the historical and newly-adopted response time requirements included in the franchise agreement.
“REMSA Health’s integrated, nonprofit franchise model is designed to support consistent care, operational efficiency and long-term financial stability across the communities we serve,” said Duplantis. “The reporting, accountability and transparency the franchise agreement requires provides us with the opportunity to double-down on the best practices that enable us to be a high-performing EMS partner for Washoe County now and into the future.”
The agreement also supports REMSA Health’s community engagement and professional education efforts, enabling the organization to coordinate public health and safety programs such as CPR training, healthcare workforce development, free car seat safety inspections and no-cost vaccine clinics that work to address the needs of the county’s underserved populations.
The renewal is the result of 20+ months of collaboration between Washoe County stakeholders, including elected officials, community leaders, emergency response providers and NNPH.
