Proposed Monterey County ambulance service contract raises concerns from first responders

A private ambulance company will join Monterey County when American Medical Response’s (AMR) contract comes to an end in 2020. The county has put together its request for proposal for the new private company that would join the county next year.

The proposal has several changes to the current contract, including changes to the grid response and new fines for not meeting response times.

“This RFP will be a significant step forward and will result in a more efficient system and a system that will provide better care,” Monterey County EMS director Micahel Petrie said.

Other first responders in Monterey County are asking for a say in the contract, and are urging county supervisors not to pass the proposed contract.

“It’s cholk-full of fines, there’s unrealistic expectations put on all agencies involved, and has really lacked the public’s input,” Salinas Firefighters Association president Josh Hostetter said.

There has also been some pushback from concerned residents in some rural areas in the county.

One resident who lives in Carmel Valley sent a letter to county supervisors urging them to not approve the current proposal.

“The proposed ambulance contract contains language which limits or even prevents our tax-funded firefighters paramedics from responding to medical emergencies,” resident Brian Antle said.

The lengthy proposal has some key differences from the current contract, including different coverage areas and stricter fines if responders fail to arrive to their call in the required time.

“We worked with county GIS we worked with our health epidemiologists and other experts in the field to really identify where calls are going to occur,” Petrie said.

First responders are calling for a change in the proposal.

“How do we work together as police, fire, and first responders on the ambulance that the RFP is a quality product that’s going to reduce response times and get the highest quality of care as quickly as possible,” Hostetter said. “As far as the RFP is written that’s not going to happen.”

However Petrie insists they have involved stakeholders in the conversation, including reaching out to every fire department in the county.

“We are strictly overseen by the state EMS authority,” Petrie said. “We’ve had meetings with them we’ve talked to them and we’ve set up a process that is as far and unbiased as possible.”

The proposal deadline is May 10 and after that county supervisors will vote on whether to accept the proposal.

The yet to be named ambulance service will join Monterey County in February of 2020.