Santa Barbara City Fire Chief Chris Mailes says the county should add additional ambulances to its contract. First responders are "increasingly concerned that the county may compromise community life safety" by extending the current contract, the Fire Chiefs Association said.
Santa Barbara City Fire Chief Chris Mailes says the county should add additional ambulances to its contract. First responders are "increasingly concerned that the county may compromise community life safety" by extending the current contract, the Fire Chiefs Association said. Credit: Giana Magnoli / Noozhawk photo

Fire chiefs and city leaders are again asking Santa Barbara County to change its ambulance-services model, but the current contract will be extended until the American Medical Response lawsuit is resolved.

Last year, the county Board of Supervisors granted a permit to County Fire, which wants to become a provider, and denied a permit to American Medical Response, the longtime provider for most of the county.

Then, AMR filed a lawsuit alleging that the county violated state emergency medical services law with its process.

Superior Court Judge Donna Geck ordered AMR and the county to extend the current contract while the case goes to trial. That order overruled the county’s plans to have the Fire Department take over ambulance services on March 1.

The trial is now scheduled for November.

AMR will stay the contracted ambulance provider while litigation is ongoing, as the court ordered, county spokeswoman Jackie Ruiz said Tuesday.

“The public will not see an impact on the delivery of 9-1-1 emergency medical services,” she said.

The county’s multi-provider emergency medical services ambulance transport system is still under development, Ruiz said.

Leaders plan to contract with more than one provider, including County Fire, rather than the exclusive contract the county has now.

"We, the city of Lompoc and its residents, ask that you implement a multi-provider system as AMR's contract extension is considered," Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne told county supervisors.
“We, the city of Lompoc and its residents, ask that you implement a multi-provider system as AMR’s contract extension is considered,” Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne told Santa Barbara County supervisors. Credit: Giana Magnoli / Noozhawk photo

Fire Chiefs, City Leaders Want Change

Some local leaders are unhappy with ambulance response times and frustrated with the delay to a new contract.

A group of fire chiefs and elected officials gathered outside the County Administration Building on Tuesday morning an hour before the Board of Supervisors meeting started. The special meeting included a closed session to talk about ongoing litigation.

It was the 12th time the supervisors have met in closed session to talk about the AMR lawsuit, and no reportable action was taken.

The county needs more ambulances than the current contract requires, to improve response times and medical care, Santa Barbara City Fire Chief Chris Mailes said.

He and others urged the county to follow County Fire’s deployment model, which has dedicated ambulances for 9-1-1 response and interfacility transfers.

It has surge capacity with more ambulances staged at fire stations, which would be crewed by firefighter/paramedics during high-demand times.

County Fire has already purchased 35 ambulances to use as its fleet if it receives the contract, or a portion of it.

The majority of fire calls are medical calls, notes Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, and "time is of the essence."
The majority of fire calls are medical calls, Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse says, and “time is of the essence.” Credit: Giana Magnoli / Noozhawk photo

Response Times

Regardless of provider, the county needs to commit to contracting more ambulances for enough coverage, speakers said.

“Our community is not adequately covered,” Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne said. Residents “should not simply have to hope an ambulance arrives on time.”

When the AMR ambulance in the area is busy, the County Fire-operated ambulance in Vandenberg Village will respond to a city medical emergency, she said. If both are busy, the city is left waiting for paramedics and transportation to the hospital.  

Lompoc Fire Chief Brian Fallon, Montecito Fire Chief David Neels and Assemblymember Gregg Hart attend Tuesday's press conference about ambulance services.
Lompoc Fire Chief Brian Fallon, left, Montecito Fire Chief David Neels and Assemblyman Gregg Hart attend Tuesday’s press conference about ambulance services. Credit: Giana Magnoli / Noozhawk photo

Most fire department calls for service are medical calls, and “time is the most important thing we have,” Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse said.

The county’s Emergency Medical Services Agency oversees contract requirements with AMR. Its staff helped develop the multi-provider system and review provider applications.  

AMR representatives have said the company has never been out of compliance and has “an unblemished history of providing great service.” There are about 150 paramedics, EMTs and other personnel working for AMR in Santa Barbara County.

At Tuesday’s event, Montecito Fire Chief David Neels told Noozhawk that fire agencies wanted to provide a united front, again asking the county to “make the right decision” when considering a future contract and lawsuit settlement.

“We’re short on ambulances here,” he said, and County Fire’s proposed deployment model would add capacity.

No county supervisors attended the event, but Supervisor-elect Roy Lee did.

Lee, a member of the Carpinteria City Council, won the First District seat in March and will take office next year, replacing Das Williams.

Noozhawk executive editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.