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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Enhanced ambulance services, improved oversight, and quicker response times will be implemented in Santa Barbara County under a new Exclusive Ambulance Provider agreement going before the Board of Supervisors for approval at their February 11, 2025, Board Meeting. In addition, American Medical Response West (AMR) is settling its litigation with the County as it forms a new partnership with the County of Santa Barbara and Fire District.
The primary components of the new Exclusive Emergency Medical Services contract between the County and AMR are:
- An initial 4-year term
- Implementation of enhanced clinical performance standards
- An option for County Fire District to provide services in Zone 4 (Lompoc) and Zone 6 (Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito)
The 4-year term starts when the County approves the contract in open session.
Moving forward the County will see improvements in our Emergency Medical Services. There will be reduced ambulance response times by two-minutes for life-saving emergency calls. All emergency medical calls will go through the new Regional Fire Communications Center, allowing for enhanced collaboration between Fire and AMR and the implementation of countywide Emergency Medical Dispatch to provide pre-arrival instructions and getting the appropriate resources to where they are needed as quickly as possible.
There will be improved clinical standards and more oversight. The newly formed Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC) will review emergency medical services in the county, as well as make reports and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. This will enhance transparency and accountability as this is an independent community advisory board made of 16 commissioners.
The new contract also increases data transparency on patient care through a clinical scorecard. Adding the clinical scorecard ensures patients will not just receive a fast ambulance but also the highest quality clinical care available to them and it will be tracked. The agreement requires the contractor to submit a performance improvement plan if they fall below 90% for 2 consecutive months which will provide greater accountability.
In the new agreement County Fire will continue providing services in the areas it currently services in Vandenberg Village, Cuyama, and University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). In addition, the new contract gives the County Fire District the option to be a subcontractor to provide Emergency Medical Services in Zone 4 (Lompoc) and Zone 6 (Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito).
The County Fire District will be reviewing the contract and the logistics of implementation in the weeks to come.
