Date: 04/04/2023
NEWS RELEASE: Santa Barbara County EMS Transport Contract Update
Santa Barbara, California – The County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors has made the decision to not extend the current ambulance contract and directed staff to explore a non-exclusive multi-provider permit model. The Board’s decision was based on their desire to improve the already existing EMS system through reinvestment in the community by providing more ambulances for 911 response, dedicated inter-facility transport ambulances, community paramedicine, and community and financial oversight at no additional cost to the community.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has been providing service for community needs for almost 100 years and ambulance transport for nearly 50 years. 75% of the 911 calls it receives in the County are for medical emergencies. The department currently provides paramedic ambulance transport services for UCSB, Vandenberg Village (Lompoc Valley), New Cuyama, and the HWY 166 corridor. With the new system, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department plans to seamlessly provide services to an already existing EMS program.
American Medical Response has been providing EMS transport services to our communities for several decades. The County Fire Department looks forward to partnering with AMR to provide exceptional service to our communities.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department is a model public safety agency, widely recognized for our effectiveness, regional strength, and community attentiveness. With almost five decades of providing paramedic/ALS services to the community, we affirm our department’s dedication to continuing our tradition of excellence in the emergency medical services.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has been providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) services to the community since 1974. The department has over ninety practicing paramedics throughout the ranks of Firefighter, Engineer, and Captain. Firefighter paramedics are staffed at all 16 fire stations and all fire department ambulances.
The new system will take effect in March of 2024.
Contact Information:
Captain Scott Safechuck
Public Information Officer
Office 805-681-5531
Cell 805-896-6336
Email [email protected]
Twitter: Scott Safechuck @SBCFireInfo
Serving the cities of Buellton, Goleta, and Solvang, and the Communities of Casmalia, Cuyama, Gaviota, Hope Ranch, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Mission Canyon, Mission Hills, Orcutt, Santa Maria, Sisquoc, and Vandenberg Village