Traction for an alternative service to San Luis Ambulance is steadily gaining steam among cities in San Luis Obispo County.
Backed by all city managers and the county Fire Chiefs Association, a proposed “public-private partnership” model led by Paso Robles and involving the cities is poised to appear before the county.
“[The Alliance model] allows a county board of supervisors to contract with a fire agency, which then subcontracts with a qualified private ambulance provider to support the delivery of emergency medical services,” Paso Robles City Manager Chris Huot said. “This is not based on a predetermined conclusion that one provider is best. The county’s competitive process will allow the Alliance and other qualified providers to present their proposed service models for objective evaluation.”
The SLO County Board of Supervisors greenlit the request for proposals process last October after a fire chiefs, mayors, city managers, and community members complained about long response times and working in an outdated system.
Paso Robles’ proposal challenges the 80-year service monopoly held by San Luis Ambulance. The competitive bidding process will award the ambulance services contract to the most cost-effective emergency medical service that best serves residents.
Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, and Atascadero expressed support for Paso Robles’ proposal by adopting resolutions. SLO and Grover Beach city councils will consider the resolution of support at future meetings.
Morro Bay City Council unanimously voted against adopting the resolution at its Sept. 8 meeting.
The Arroyo Grande and Atascadero city councils discussed the resolution that day too. Leadership and employees from San Luis Ambulance urged council members at all three meetings to decline adoption.
“Will this proposal actually improve emergency medical services in Arroyo Grande? Will it put more ambulances on the street? Will it improve response times? Will it improve patient care, and will it be a better value for the community?” San Luis Ambulance Operations Manager Kris Strommen asked at the Arroyo Grande meeting. “I don’t believe the evidence provided in the packet demonstrates that it will.”
In a letter to Arroyo Grande and Atascadero, San Luis Ambulance President Justin Kelton said calling the Alliance model “local” and “community-based” isn’t entirely accurate because it would subcontract ambulance operations to national ambulance company American Medical Response (AMR).
San Luis Ambulance stressed its regional identity to city officials.
“The resolution also says it will foster strong local partnerships and community-based [emergency medical services],” General Manager Chris Javine told the Atascadero City Council. “But when the day-to-day ambulance operations are subcontracted to [AMR], a large national corporation headquartered in Texas, it’s hard to see it as a truly local EMS partnership.”
‘Because the Alliance would be governed by local public agencies, its decisions, finances, contracts, and performance would be subject to public transparency and accountability requirements.’
—Chris Huot, Paso Robles city manager
Javine reminded Atascadero that the Alliance model doesn’t exist yet and so, it could be risky to implement. San Luis Ambulance Paramedic Field Supervisor and longtime Atascadero resident Nate Otter added that the company cares about the community, often donating ambulances and sponsoring local events.
Although cities adopted the resolution of support, it doesn’t mean they’re joining the Alliance model yet. Details like the cost of providing services under the Alliance model and the consequence if a city later decides to pull out of the agreement must still be worked out.
Ultimately, the decision about who wins the service contract rests with the county.
Atascadero City Councilmembers Seth Peek and Heather Newsom didn’t support Paso Robles’ efforts, but most city leaders from Arroyo Grande and Atascadero agreed that it was time to look at a new way to serve the public.
“To have a contract out for 80 years without rebidding it, that does not sit well with me,” Atascadero Mayor Charles Bourbeau said at the meeting. “It’s wise to go to the next step and see how things shake out from there.”
Paso Robles City Manager Huot told New Times that if the Alliance model is selected, it would continuously evaluate response performance, call demand, unit availability, geographic coverage, staffing, equipment, training, and overall system capacity.
“Because the Alliance would be governed by local public agencies, its decisions, finances, contracts, and performance would be subject to public transparency and accountability requirements, including open meetings, public records, public budgeting, and audits,” he said. “This level of public disclosure generally does not apply to a private ambulance provider operating independently.”
He added that past efforts to encourage San Luis Ambulance to implement improvements have been unsuccessful. But that could change thanks to the county’s upcoming request for proposals process that would set updated performance standards and service requirements.
“If [San Luis Ambulance] is selected through the competitive process, it would operate under these new expectations for modernizing ambulance service delivery throughout San Luis Obispo County,” Huot said. “Regardless of the provider ultimately selected, the RFP presents an important opportunity to move beyond a decades-old service model and establish a more modern, responsive, transparent, and accountable countywide ambulance system.” ∆
This article appears in Student Guide 2026.
I don’t claim to be an expert on providing ambulance service, but I do possess Google, common sense, and a reasonably functioning calculator. I read the articles, and watched the recent council meetings. Here’s what I’ve figured out.
Going 80 years providing an essential public service without ever going through a competitive bidding process is pretty remarkable. I don’t care that much of the cost is paid by users and insurance companies. I do care that an emergency service can operate for eight decades with what appears to be all the competitive pressure of a small-town mafia monopoly. Competition and accountability aren’t exactly radical concepts.
Then there’s personal experience. Family friends recently waited hours for an ambulance to become available to transport a loved one to a specialized facility in Southern California. The problem wasn’t finding a hospital bed down south. The problem was finding an ambulance here. San Luis Ambulance uses ambulances from the local 9-1-1 system for these long-distance transports. While one is headed down Highway 101 for several hours, it obviously isn’t available here for the rest of us. Apparently ambulances, unlike Star Trek transporters, cannot be in two places at once.
San Luis Ambulance has also raised concerns about the competing model relying on federal funding. Sounds ominous. There’s just one small detail that somehow fell out of the saddle: private ambulance companies receive federal funding too. I asked Google. Ding, ding, ding!
It’s called the Quality Assurance Fee, or QAF, program. So criticizing the other model for relying on government reimbursement while benefiting from government reimbursement yourself feels a little like complaining about your neighbor’s sprinkler while standing there holding a garden hose. Maybe not the strongest argument.
Then we heard employees understandably worried about losing their jobs if another company wins the contract. Back to Google I went. California Health and Safety Code Section 1797.230 provides a process related to workforce retention when ambulance providers change. The County hasn’t released the final bid package yet, so we don’t know what it will require, but I would be surprised if protecting the existing workforce isn’t part of the conversation.
Which brings me to what I really don’t understand: all the theatrics.
San Luis Ambulance has been serving this county for 80 years. Eighty years! If the company provides the best service, has the best plan, and can meet the County’s new expectations, then submit a great proposal and win the contract. That’s generally how competitive bidding works.
Instead of spending so much energy poking holes in the other guy’s wagon, maybe spend a little more time making sure your own wheels are tight.
And here’s the other curious part: there may be multiple ambulance companies competing for this contract. So perhaps save some ammunition. It could be a crowded rodeo.
After 80 years without meaningful competition, asking San Luis Ambulance to compete for the privilege of continuing to serve SLO County doesn’t seem unreasonable.
In fact, it seems about 80 years overdue.
May want to research further. SLA has had their contract renewed over several years without competition. If AMR or any other groups thought they had a chance to bid…..they had every opportunity to do so over the years. This contract process is not new to SLA. What is new is the local government agencies looking at the financial potential without looking at or researching the financial impacts their partner (AMR) has caused in the past. But lets use google to do our (global and funded) research instead of asking the real questions locally. Same reason that google will tell you youre gonna die in 3 months from a UTI…..but by all means….lets trust that.
Yall need to do your research. SLA covers AMR both in southern monterey county AND in Santa Maria and yet the complaint is response times????? Have you done your research on AMR, its monopoly and its coverage of local mom and pop groups??? Obviously not. But by all means delete my comment
SLA has been awarded a contract about every 4 years with opportunity for others to compete……
Friend, the existing contract has been renewed. It has never been open to others to bid.
By all mean please contact me for information vs the one sides view. I am a local and a first responder. Its sad that money is making this horrible.
SLAS has had contracts renewed. The contract have never gone to RFP (Request for Proposal), making it available for other players to bid…that’s the bottom line.