To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
From: Health Services
Meeting Date: November 3, 2026
Department Contact: Tami Bartolomei Phone: 707-510-5770
Item Type: Regular Agenda Time Allocated for Item: 15 Minutes
Agenda Title:
title
Discussion and Possible Action Including Acceptance of Presentation and Status Update from Mendocino County Fire Safe Council and Mendocino County Fire Chiefs Association on Development of a Public Ambulance Joint Powers Agreement
(Sponsor: Health Services)
Vote Requirement: Majority
End
Recommended Action/Motion:
recommendation
Accept presentation and status update from Mendocino County Fire Safe Council and Mendocino County Fire Chiefs Association on development of a public ambulance joint powers agreement.
End
Previous Board/Board Committee Actions:
None.
Summary of Request:
This is an informational update from the Mendocino County Public Health Emergency Medical Services Program on how six local public ambulance providers are working together to explore ways to support emergency medical transport in our rural communities. These agencies are Anderson Valley CSD, Coast Life Support District, Covelo Fire Protection District, Elk CSD, Long Valley Fire Protection District, and the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority. County EMS has not yet participated in these development meetings.
Rural ambulance services face severe financial challenges because the fixed costs of 24/7 operations are spread over fewer transports. Recent federal data show that nationwide, the average cost for rural public agency ambulance transport is roughly $2,800, while average billing revenue is only $1,300, leaving a gap of $1,500. Locally, the majority of patients transported by these agencies are covered by Medicare or Medi-Cal, which reimburse at the lowest rates. Together, these six agencies handle about 30% of the county’s 911 emergency ambulance dispatches, with some serving our most remote areas.
To help mitigate these challenges, these ...
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