Case to Decide Fate of Ventura’s New Emergency Medical Service

Nine months ago, Ventura became the first city in the county to provide its own paramedic services--a move that officials say has resulted in shorter response times to emergency calls and reduced costs for ambulance users.

But depending on the outcome of a precedent-setting case argued before the state Supreme Court on Wednesday, the city could be forced to shut down its paramedic services within 48 hours.

Such a decision would scrap the ambitious program by the Ventura Fire Department and force the county to quickly find a new ambulance provider for the city’s nearly 100,000 residents.

“This is a landmark decision that will either uphold the city’s rights to provide ambulance transport services within its boundaries or leave that function in the hands of the county,” said Michael Harris, manager of the city’s Emergency Medical Services program.

The lawsuit argued before the state’s high court Wednesday involves the city of San Bernardino, which launched its own paramedic program several years ago.

A private ambulance company and the county of San Bernardino sued the city, arguing it did not have the right to provide ambulance transport services.

At issue is the interpretation of a state law enacted in the early 1980s that gave California counties the authority to decide who provides such services. Two lower courts have upheld the city of San Bernardino’s decision to go into the paramedic business.

Ventura county and city officials are awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling, expected within 60 days.

“We are cautiously optimistic,” said Ventura Fire Chief Dennis Downs, who attended the hearing in Los Angeles on Wednesday. “It is really hard to get a sense for the Supreme Court.”

Ventura Assistant City Atty. Amy Albano, who also attended the hearing, talked to attorneys for the city of San Bernardino who felt positive about the outcome.

“What has been the burning issue over the years is cities’ ability to divest,” Albano said. “I believe the judges, all of the judges, had some questions. They really centered on what the statutory language was.”

Under the Emergency Medical Services Act adopted by the Legislature more than a decade ago, California counties are responsible for overseeing ambulance service in their jurisdiction. Before last July, Ventura County contracted with three private companies: Ojai Ambulance in Ojai, Gold Coast Ambulance in Oxnard and MedTrans Inc. to serve the rest of the county.

When Ventura proposed running its own ambulance service, MedTrans sued, charging that the city had no legal authority to run its own program and was putting its residents at risk with an untested system.

But Ventura County Superior Court Judge Joe D. Hadden ruled that MedTrans and its subsidiary, Pruner Health Services, had no standing to sue, and Ventura launched its program in July.

However, Ventura’s contract with the county states that if the city of San Bernardino loses its suit, Ventura would have to dismantle its program within 48 hours.

The county’s Board of Supervisors then would be responsible for selecting an ambulance service for the Ventura area. Downs said it is possible that the city could bid to supply the service. The county’s other options include contracting again with MedTrans or choosing another private company.

“I don’t know which way it would go,” said Barbara Brodfuehrer, administrator of the county’s Emergency Medical Services Agency. “It would be a decision for the supervisors.”

Ventura officials contend that citizens are being provided better ambulance services through the city’s program.

After nine months of fielding 911 calls for ambulance service, Harris and Downs say the city’s response time has dropped by two minutes compared to MedTrans.

The Fire Department currently has 32 paramedics, including 19 cross-trained as firefighters.

Five of the city’s six fire stations now have paramedics, and Downs said the department hopes to have a paramedic unit assigned to the sixth station by July.

“So every time one of those shiny red firetrucks pulls up, there will be a paramedic on it,” Downs said.

With paramedics assigned to almost every station, officials say the department has more paramedics in the city than the private company and charges less for emergency medical transport.

“We feel that our level of service has really improved,” Albano said. “We are doing it faster and we are doing it for less money.”

But city leaders have known all along that the outcome of the San Bernardino case could devastate their program, which cost the city $175,000 to get off the ground.

“We have been watching [the case] very closely, as every EMS agency in the state has,” said Brodfuehrer.