Sonoma County Supervisors award ambulance contract to Sonoma County Fire District

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today awarded a contract to the Sonoma County Fire District for advanced life support ground ambulance services for Exclusive Operating Area No. 1, which includes Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and much of central Sonoma County.

Based on criteria set forth in the county’s request for proposals, the Sonoma County Fire District proposal scored the higher of two proposals submitted to the county. The fire district’s base rate for ambulance transport was $800 lower than the other proposal.

Sonoma County Fire District promised to provide better wages and benefits to paramedics and emergency medical technicians than they currently receive. The fire district also has promised to improve staffing levels and provide better working conditions than the current ambulance agreement. The fire district has also committed to deploying more ambulance personnel and more ambulance units, while reducing staff workloads.

Based on the scores and the recommendation of the director of the Department of Health Services, the Board of Supervisors unanimously authorized the execution of a five-year contract with an optional five-year extension, which begins on Jan. 16, 2024.

“The Sonoma County Fire District came through with a very attractive proposal, and we’re confident that the district, with its dedicated paramedics and EMTs, will be outstanding community partners,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, a member of the board’s EMS Ad Hoc Committee. “We look forward to working with the fire district as it assumes ambulance operations in central Sonoma County.”

American Medical Response, which currently operates ambulance service in EOA-1, has assured the county that it intends to continue to provide ambulance service until Jan. 15, 2024. The county is committed to a safe and collaborative transition and looks forward to working with AMR and Sonoma County Fire District to implement it.

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Media Contact: 
Paul Gullixson, Communications Manager 
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403