The New Braunfels Fire Department is now using an emergency response tool called RightSite to better meet the medical needs of residents.
The RightSite tool’s purpose is to decrease the unnecessary use of emergency rooms through ambulance transportation. The city’s fire department began using the tool April 10.
How it works
After 911 is called, dispatchers arrive at a resident's or visitor’s location. Then, first responders assess the person’s illness or injuries and decide if transporting to the emergency room is the most appropriate solution. If not, they will scan a QR code on their tablet that will connect them to a board-certified ER doctor, who will provide immediate assistance and instruction, NBFD Fire Chief Ruy Lozano said during an April 6 special City Council meeting.
Once the patient’s vitals and symptoms are discussed, the doctor may connect them with a nearby urgent care center, write them a prescription, suggest over-the-counter medicine and more. After the initial meeting, the doctor will follow up with the patient over the phone throughout the following week. RightSite has no cost to the city, and is an option available for both insured and uninsured individuals, Lozano said.
“If the citizen has insurance, we will charge the insurance, but we’re not [going to] charge the citizen,” he added. “We have a foundation that will cover the entire cost.”
Overall, RightSite has a 93% patient acceptance rate, and 84% of patients are successfully redirected from ambulance use because of it, according to the April 6 presentation.
Why it matters
Emergency medical services calls continue to have the highest call volume for service, Lozano said. NBFD responded to over 14,600 calls in 2025, according to the April 6 meeting presentation. However, not all of those patients required an emergency room visit.
Lozano said transporting a citizen to the ER usually takes firefighters well over an hour due to the time it takes to transport and finish the report.
“When the firefighters use RightSite, they’re able to get back to service within 20 minutes, so that creates capacity because now they’re available for other calls without having to pay for additional firefighters,” he said.
