Emergency Medical Services

Oversight and coordination of Multnomah County's fire and ambulance medical personnel.

On this page

  1. First Response
  2. Where We Are
  3. Program Functions
  4. Tri-County 911 Service Coordination Program (TC911)
  5. Ambulance Contract Compliance
  6. EMS Rules, Code & Ambulance Service Plan
  7. Ambulance Inspection Forms
  8. Special Event Coverage
  9. EMS System Assessment and Planning
  10. Partner Agencies
  11. Staff
  12. Contact Us
collage of paramedic uniform patches

Multnomah County Emergency Medical Services provides medical oversight and overall coordination of the EMS system in Multnomah County.

Multnomah County’s EMS system is made up of a variety of agencies and providers. This includes a franchised private ambulance provider and local fire departments.

Our EMS system providers work together to:

  • Receive calls through 9-1-1
  • Dispatch responders
  • Provide care
  • Transport patients to a hospital or other place of care

In Oregon, counties are responsible for regulating, monitoring and coordinating local EMS systems. Each agency operates independently, under the supervision of Multnomah County's EMS program medical director.

First Response

Fire agencies and the ambulance service provide emergency response. Both are dispatched at the same time. The team that arrives first starts medical care, and the ambulance team transports patients to the hospital.

All first responders offer advanced life support. Ambulance teams consist of 2 people, either paramedics or emergency medical technicians.

Where We Are

Multnomah County covers 431 square miles and has 815,428 residents. It’s the smallest Oregon county and also the most populated. It has 6 incorporated cities:

  • Portland
  • Gresham
  • Fairview
  • Wood Village
  • Troutdale
  • Maywood Park

Portland is the largest city. It's divided east-west by the Willamette River, which is crossed by nearly a dozen bridges.

Large hills border the western edge of the county. Although the county is primarily urban, an eastern portion of the county is forested and unsettled, and has limited road access.

The county is bordered by Washington, Clackamas, Hood River and Columbia counties. To the north, across the Columbia River, is Washington state.

Program Functions

Medical supervision of fire and ambulance

Set consistent standards and objectives for emergency care. Includes review of emergency medical protocols, and medical oversight and guidance of these state-licensed professions:

  • Emergency medical dispatchers (EMD)
  • Emergency medical responders (EMR)
  • Emergency medical technicians (EMT)
  • Advanced EMTs (AEMT)
  • EMT-intermediates (EMT-I)
  • Paramedics

Pre-hospital system regulation

Includes staffing, equipment and supply standards; communication and clinical care. Monitor and enforce ambulance response times. Maintain contracts for first responder services. Respond to public concerns about emergency care and ambulance transports.

Joint training

Organized and supervised by Multnomah County EMS, to help fire and ambulance apply medical protocols consistently.

Training coordinated by EMS

Aims to produce a higher level of standardization and an enhanced practice knowledge for all professionals who provide emergency medical services.

Tri-County 911 Service Coordination Program (TC911)

This program fosters appropriate use of our EMS system to prevent overuse. Licensed clinical social workers help connect clients who have frequent contact with ambulance and/or fire agencies to mental health and social services. Serves Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. 

Ambulance Contract Compliance

Response Time Performance

Ambulance services are one part of our emergency medical services (EMS) system. A single franchised provider—American Medical Response, Inc. (AMR)—provides all of Multnomah County's ambulance services.

Response time goals are set in their ambulance service contract. These goals are one of many contract requirements and are one way we measure contract compliance.

Ambulance Response Data Reports

Please see pages 3 and 4 of the 911 Ambulance Contract Response Time Performance Report linked above for how to read the response time performance graphs.

EMS Rules, Code & Ambulance Service Plan

These provide the framework for our EMS system and the services we provide to people who call 9-1-1 with a medical emergency.

Multnomah County Ambulance Code, section 21.400 (2018):

Ambulance Inspection Forms

Special Event Coverage

EMS System Assessment and Planning

We are currently evaluating our current EMS system in response to ambulance performance to assess its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. We will then consider the best path forward to provide emergency medical services and ambulance services to Multnomah County.

We have contracted with Healthcare Strategists, Inc. to provide consulting services for the EMS system assessment project. EMS program staff have been working with them to create an inclusive process for recommending improvements to our EMS system.

Assessment Updates

  • August 8, 2024 - Healthcare Strategists, Inc selected as the consultant
  • August 20, 2024 - Contracting process started
  • September 11, 2024 - Preliminary contract agreed on
  • October 9, 2024 - County completes internal contract review
  • October 12, 2024 - Signed contract in place
  • November 4, 2024 - Assessment and planning process begins
  • December 18-19, 2024 - First round of stakeholder engagement meetings
  • February 4-6, 2025 - Second round of stakeholder engagement meetings

Project Questions

Contact ems-project-questions@multco.us

Partner Agencies

Licensed Ambulance Providers

Other Fire Departments & EMS

Regional 911

Staff

How to make a public records request»

Medical Director

Jon Jui, MD, MPH, FACEP
jonathan.jui@multco.us

Associate Medical Directors

SunHee Chung, MD
Matthew Neth MD
Mike Murray MD, FACEP

Managers

Aaron Monnig, Health Officer Operations Manager
aaron.monnig@multco.us

Mark Prinzmetal, EMS Program Supervisor
mark.prinzmetal@multco.us

Administration

Jan Acebo, EMS Coordinator
jan.acebo@multco.us

Cesilee Fidler, Administrative Executive
cesilee.fidler@multco.us

Jahmela Leitner, Communications Quality Assurance Liaison
jahmela.leitner@multco.us

Charles Miller, EMS System Design Coordinator
charles.miller@multco.us

Jasmin O’Neill, Data Analyst
Claire Smith, Research and Evaluation Analyst

Tri-County 911 Service Coordination Program (TC911)

Jerrod Meireis, Lead Social Worker
jerrod.meireis@multco.us

Contact Us

Emergency Medical Services
619 NW 6th Ave, 6th Floor
Portland, Oregon 97209

503-988-3220
503-988-4017 fax

Last reviewed March 18, 2025

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