57 ambulances will operate out of a former car sales lot, with a dispatch program calling for pre-stationed ambulances in remote locations. In addition to the cost savings, this strategy will save minutes on response time.
The company, Paramedics Plus, operates larger amublances than many people are accustomed to seeing, but the extra size give the paramedics more room to work. The transition to the new company will not result in layoffs from the current ambulance provider, American Medical Response, whose displaced employees are all being hired by Paramedics Plus.
From the Oakland Tribune:
A new emergency ambulance company that won a bid to serve Alameda County is setting up its base of operations at what now is a car dealership on Marina Boulevard, and will begin service in November.
Paramedics Plus outbid American Medical Response to get the contract last year, and company executive Jeff Taylor said the new company will retain nearly all of the AMR staff.
“These folks know this area, they’ve served this area, many have been here for their entire professional career,” Taylor said. “That only benefits our patients out there.”
According to the Texas-based company, it will cover an area serving 1.4 million people. AMR, which transports about 88,000 people each year, has been in operation for nearly 40 years.
Read the full article here.