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The City of Breezy Point with over 1,600 full -time residents sees that number soar to 5,000- 10,000, given the seasonal nature of the community. Coupled with a continued growth in new home starts, the City had experienced a dramatic increase in the number of requests for emergency medical services. As it were, during life threatening emergencies, the police department and local first responders were notified and responded within minutes to begin providing first aid. However, life saving medications and equipment were often 15 -20 minutes away because the nearest ambulances were stationed outside of city limits. Adding to the dilemma was the fact that those ambulances were not staffed 24 hours a day, resulting in additional delay until ambulance personnel were dispatched from head - quarters. Recognizing the severity of the problem, the City researched options for addressing the needs of an every growing community. Establishing a city owned ambulance service, or contracting for permanent ambulance coverage proved to be much too costly. The ultimate solution came as a one -of -a -kind partnership between the City of Breezy Point and North Memorial Ambulance Service (NMAS). The program, which evolved out of a long standing relationship, consists of the City employing Police Officers who are certified as paramedics, while North Memorial provides the necessary equipment and medical control. The benefit is the Police Officer /Paramedics ability to administer advanced emergency care, not just basic first aid. The life saving skills provided by these highly trained officers includes: administering several medications, intravenous therapy, endotracheal intubation, cardiac monitoring and defibrillation. As it is today, when a call for help is received, Police Paramedics are dispatched immediately and are able to begin advanced life support (ALS) procedures within minutes, long before the ambulance arrives. Although the program is similar to programs in other communities, the City was able to mold the concept to meet the unique and specific needs. With only six police officers and a limited budget, the police department actively recruits officers already trained in both specialties. By doing so, the City is able to save thousands of dollars it would have taken to train current employees. With the equipment and medications provided by NMAS, the costs incurred by the City are minimal. The City pays on average annually $14,000 for the program to exist in comparison to the estimated $400,000 per year it would have cost to staff an ALS ambulance. Currently, two officers in the Breezy Point Police Department serve as Police Paramedics. To maximize coverage, these officers work primarily at night, when ambulance response times are the longest. When not on duty with the police department, personnel are equipped with pagers. When alerted to an emergency they respond in personally assigned squad cars with a full complement of ALS equipment. The paramedic officers are also casually employed by NMAS and are required to maintain compliance with all continuing education and clinical standards of NMAS. The success of the program is readily apparent in lives saved and Police Paramedics have been recognized for their life saving efforts. In 2006, former Police Paramedic Dan Sathre received the Minnesota Ambulance Association "Star of Life Award" and was recognized at the state capitol. The Minnesota State Legislature recognized the program again in 2007 when Police Paramedic Josef Garcia also received the award. In 2008 the City of Excellence Award was presented to Breezy Point by the League of Minnesota Cites recognizing the city's innovation for the program. The benefits of the program can also be seen beyond the city limits. Through contracted police services, the City extends Police Paramedic services to Pelican Township. The department