History

During 1966, the National Academy of Sciences "White Paper” entitled "Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society", identified deficiencies in providing emergency medical care in the country. This paper was the catalyst prompting federal leadership toward an organized approach to EMS and trauma care. The authority of states to set standards, regulate EMS, and implement programs designed to reduce injury was further reinforced and encouraged by the enactment of the 1966 Highway Safety Act. Various subsequent federal and state initiatives were responsible for improving and refining prehospital systems of care during the two decades which followed the landmark 1966 paper.

In the 1976, Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC) was formed and charged with the original planning for countywide ambulance services. Through the County Administrator’s office a Request For Proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1978. This resulted in no response. Three year contracts were negotiated with two ambulance companies. Mobile Life Support for coverage of North County minus the City of Lompoc who wanted to retain Community Ambulance, and 911 Emergency Services, Inc. for coverage of South County.

In August of 1980, Mobile Life Support ceased operations due to financial reasons. RFP’s were issued statewide. In two and a half months, no providers bid to provide the service. 911 Emergency Services took over their service area in the North. This contract was negotiated on November 10, 1980, including an annual county subsidy, which began at $365,000 and increased to $452,000 by 1993. 911 Emergency Services, Inc. was given an exclusive operating area (EOA) in South County. When Lompoc Community Ambulance discontinued service in October 1991, 911 Emergency Services took over ambulance services in the city of Lompoc.

Significant state EMS leadership in California regarding the development of EMS systems began in 1981 with the establishment of state law and the California EMS Authority. The California State Legislature enacted the “Emergency Medical Services System and Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act (Health and Safety Code 1797, et al.).” This law specifically authorized local EMS agencies to “...plan, implement, and evaluate an emergency medical services system...consisting of an organized pattern of readiness and response services...”(Health and Safety Code 1797.204). The Act further authorized local EMS agencies to plan, implement and monitor limited advanced life support and advanced life support programs.

The County Board of Supervisors designated the Public Health Department formerly known as Health Care Services, as the local EMS agency and asked for provision of paramedic service for the entire county (1981). Later responsibilities for EMCC, Ambulance Contract and Ambulance Ordinance were transferred from the County Administrator to the EMS Agency. At that time the EMS Agency became responsible for the entire EMS system. The mandates of Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code and the California Code of Regulations, Title 22 Social Security, Division 9, Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Chapters 1-8, now fell under the EMS Agency.

County Fire began (1990) advanced life-support (paramedic) ambulance transport service out of Station 51 in the Vandenberg Village area. The Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance out of Station 41 in New Cuyama was changed to ALS support in 1993. University of California Santa Barbara Rescue began providing paramedic service for the campus and for a section of Isla Vista in the 1980s.

In November 1993 the contract with 911 Emergency Services was renegotiated. With this new contract the County no longer subsidized ambulance services. In March 1994, American Medical Response merged with 911 Emergency Services, dba AMR. Currently AMR pays the county $190,000 annually to cover ambulance dispatch services and prehospital oversight.

In addition to the contract with AMR who responds to 90% of all emergency medical calls, the EMS Agency is responsible for the following EMS system contracts:

• Santa Barbara County Fire
• Montecito Fire Protection District
• Mercy Air, Inc
• Vandenberg Air Force Base
• Carpinteria/Summerland Fire Protection District (Vandenberg & Carpinteria contract will be executed shortly.)

Montecito Fire Protection District began providing non-transport engine company paramedic service in August 1993. Transport services are provided by AMR. Engine company paramedics are also providing service at the following County Fire locations: Station 24 in Los Alamos, Station 32 at the Santa Ynez Airport, and Station 11 in Goleta. Mercy Air Inc. is the first Air Medical transport provider for Santa Barbara County. Each helicopter transport unit is staffed with a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse and a local accredited Paramedic. Carpinteria/Summerland Fire District began engine company paramedic services in the spring of 1999 at Station 1 and added Paramedic Services at Station 2 soon after. In October 1998, Vandenberg Air Force Base established ALS ambulance transport services.

California EMS Authority promulgated the document Emergency Medical Services System Standards and Guidelines in 1985, revised in 1993, pursuant to Section 1797.103 of the California Health and Safety Code. These guidelines describe the basic components and general function of an EMS system. The EMS Agency developed a Strategic Plan, which was approved by Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on March 26, 1996. This plan encompasses all recommended guidelines as identified by the State EMS Authority.