County Transfers Ambulance Contract

The county Board of Supervisors approved Tuesday the transfer of ambulance contracts from Pruner Ambulance Co. to Irvine-based CareLine Inc., the nation’s second-largest ambulance company.

Supervisors approved the transfer with little comment after Phillipp K. Wessels, county Health Care Agency director, described the contract reassignment as “a sound transaction.”

“I feel confident that the transfer of this assignment is in the best interests of our citizens,” Wessels said.

County auditors have found CareLine to be financially sound, with $80 million in assets, Wessels said. And checks with officials in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, where CareLine operates Mercy Ambulance Co., revealed no ongoing problems with operations, he said.

The contracts can be canceled with 90 days notice if service is substandard, Wessels said.

Pruner serves all of the county except Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ojai.

No opponents to the transfer commented. Ken Maffei, president of the county firefighters’ union, had protested the sale last week, because it had followed by just days the supervisors’ two-year renewal of the Pruner contract. The firefighters had also sought the contract.

Protest “would be a waste of time,” Maffei said. “The supervisors have made their decision.”

Under the new arrangement, all Pruner employees, including owners Don and Jackie Pruner, would continue as employees after the CareLine sale is complete next month, Pruner said.

Supervisor Maria VanderKolk said she supports the sale because CareLine will honor Pruner’s commitment to open a new ambulance station in Oak Park next month.