Multnomah County Approves Ambulance Plan With 15-Minute Suburban Response Target

Portland, OR. — The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted 3–2 on Nov. 5 to approve a new ambulance service plan that sets a 15-minute response benchmark for life-threatening emergencies in Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village, compared with eight minutes in Portland and Gresham.

The benchmarks follow state classifications that place the three East County cities in suburban response zones and Portland and Gresham in urban zones. East County residents and local leaders raised concerns about the suburban standard during public testimony.

In a separate vote, commissioners approved a resolution giving preference to bidders that can offer faster response times in the three cities without an additional county subsidy. Bidders can still compete without offering faster service. The plan also allows cities and fire districts to negotiate directly with the ambulance provider for faster responses or dedicated ambulance staging.

The plan changes how crews are assigned to calls. Ambulances staffed by emergency medical technicians would respond to less serious calls, while units with at least one paramedic would handle more serious emergencies. Experienced paramedics could respond to critical calls in quick-response vehicles. The plan also updates training, dispatch and patient care standards.

Commissioner Meghan Moyer, who co-sponsored the bidding resolution with Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon, said insurance reimbursement limits the response times the county can support. She called on state lawmakers to raise ambulance reimbursement rates, which she said have remained flat since 2014.

The county will submit the plan to the Oregon Health Authority and expects to begin seeking competitive bids in 2027. Its current contract with American Medical Response expires in August 2028, and service under the new plan is expected to begin in late 2028.