Fountain Valley is preparing to take emergency medical transport into its own hands.
After more than two decades of contracting with private ambulance provider Falck, city officials voted unanimously during their Sept. 25 meeting to move forward with a plan that would transition to a fully city-operated ambulance program by the end of next year.
It also comes at a time when leaders from the Orange County Fire Authority are asking county representatives to get rid of the private ambulance contractor.
[Read: OC Fire Authority Chief Challenges County’s Ambulance Contractor]
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Fountain Valley already operates its own fire department, which would take over management of the new ambulance program under the proposal.
Officials say the shift is aimed at improving response times, cutting costs and giving local leaders more control over emergency operations.
“This has been a long journey that’s finally coming to fruition,” Acting Fire Chief Tim Saiki told the council during the meeting on Sept. 25. “We’ve had a strong partnership with Falck for over 25 years, but this is the right time to bring ambulance services fully under our roof and strengthen the future of our fire department.”
The proposal would replace Falck’s current model of one 24-hour ambulance and one 12-hour ambulance with two city-run ambulances operating 24 hours a day.
Fountain Valley officials expect the new ambulance fleet to be fully operational by December 2026.
The city also plans to purchase four new ambulances — two for daily use and two for backup or surge coverage.
To make the transition possible, Fountain Valley will hire 12 full-time and six part-time ambulance operators, along with three new administrative positions: a division chief, an administrative captain and a human resources technician to oversee recruitment and staffing.
Saiki said the change would modernize emergency operations and reduce the city’s dependence on outside contracts.
“This will allow us to manage our own response times, training and quality standards,” he said. “Our residents will get faster service, and our department will be more flexible.”
The transition is expected to cost about $2.1 million in startup expenses, including ambulance purchases, cardiac monitors, radios and staff onboarding, according to the staff report.
Saiki said the city has already secured nearly $2 million in federal funds through the state’s Voluntary Rate Range Program, which helps cities recover EMS-related costs.
“Startup costs were our biggest hurdle,” Saiki said. “But leveraging this funding means we can move forward without adding pressure to the general fund.”
City staff estimate the city-run program will eventually be less expensive than the current contract by eliminating private administrative fees and profit margins.
The proposal also aims to improve efficiency by assigning ambulance operators to lower-priority service calls, keeping fire engines available for major incidents.
Mayor Ted Bui called the plan “a long-term investment in the city’s safety.”
“This is about value and service, not just cost,” Bui said at the meeting. “We’re improving coverage, strengthening local control, and giving our residents a faster response when they need it most.”
Councilmember Patrick Harper voiced support but urged caution about costs.
“I think it’s a good idea to move forward,” he said. “But we should check back in after a couple of years to make sure the numbers are tracking.”
Councilmember Kim Constantine said the benefits of local control go beyond the bottom line.
“We’ll have ambulances responding directly from our fire stations instead of waiting for dispatch coordination through a private company,” she said. “That means faster care and better outcomes for our residents.”
Councilmember Glenn Grandis pointed out the program’s potential to develop future firefighter talent.
“This creates a pipeline for local recruits,” Grandis said. “Ambulance operators will get hands-on experience working with our department and many could move up to firefighter positions in the future.”
The new program will also help Fountain Valley preserve its “201 rights,” which give the city legal authority to operate its own ambulance transport system — a right that could become more important if state laws change, city leaders said.
“Maintaining those rights ensures we’ll always control our own EMS destiny,” Saiki said.
During the meeting, Councilmember Jim Cunneen said the plan is both practical and forward-looking.
“This transition gives us stability and self-reliance,” he said. “We’re keeping vital services local.”
Fountain Valley’s decision comes against a backdrop of growing pressure on regional fire agencies to rethink their reliance on Falck.
The Orange County Fire Authority has been pushing for changes earlier this year, accusing the county of structuring its bidding process to favor Falck and alleging conflicts of interest in contract scoring.
County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy accused the county’s selection panel of being biased, while Falck maintained it “decisively won” the contracts fairly.
[Read: OC Fire Authority Chief Challenges County’s Ambulance Contractor]
The county rejected protests and declined to reopen the contract award.
Some supervisors publicly criticized the procurement. During an August meeting, Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said the request for proposals “pigeonholed” the county into selecting Falck.
The Fountain Valley City Council voted 5-0 to approve the transition and directed city staff to begin purchasing equipment, hiring personnel and drafting mutual aid agreements with nearby cities like Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa.
“This program is about making our community safer and our department stronger,” Bui said at the end of the meeting. “It’s a big step forward for Fountain Valley.”