Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: President Don Horsley, District 3
Subject: Appointments to the Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC)
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Recommendation to take the following actions regarding the Emergency Medical Care Committee:
A) Appointment of Jeff Thorne as Fire Services representative for an initial partial term ending March 31, 2023; and
B) Appointment of Sunil Bhopale, M.D. as Emergency Physician representative for an initial full term ending March 31, 2026.
body
BACKGROUND:
The Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC) is responsible for reviewing and reporting its observations and recommendations to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and local Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS Agency) regarding the emergency medical services system. The Committee monitors and presents recommendations to improve emergency medical care in San Mateo County.
The EMCC consists of 20 members appointed by the Board, for terms of four years, for up to three consecutive terms. Among EMCC’s 20 members, it must have, among other requirements: two (2) local Fire Service representatives; and one (1) emergency Physician in a San Mateo County receiving hospital.
DISCUSSION:
Jeff Thorne brings to the EMCC 26 years of experience in the fire services, with over 21 years in San Mateo County, primarily with San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department where he currently serves as Battalion Chief. Mr. Thorne has been an active member of the San Mateo County emergency medical services (EMS) system as an EMT-paramedic since 2000. Mr. Thorne also served as the EMS/Fire services supervisor for the central zone fire agencies overseeing 156 paramedics and 92 EMTs for seven years. He will be serving on a seat formerly held by Steve Silici which carries a partial term ending March 31, 2023.
Dr. Sunil Bhopale is a practicing emergency physician at the Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Redwood City and has served as the hospital liaison to the San Mateo County EMS Medical Advisory, Stroke and STEMI (Heart Attack) committees. Dr. Bhopale is the assistant Physician in Chief of the hospital and has overseen hospital operations for the past 5 years. He will be serving on a seat formerly held by George Oldam for a full term.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.