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Selma approves exclusive ambulance operating area to protect local EMS service
Summary
The council approved an agreement to establish Zone G as an exclusive operating area for the City of Selma'0s ambulance service, a move city officials said protects the fire department'0s EMS revenue and service continuity.
The Selma City Council voted to accept an operating-area agreement that would make the city the exclusive ambulance provider for "Zone G," a region the fire chief said includes Selma, Fowler, Parlier and nearby unincorporated areas.
Fire Chief Webster told the council the agreement, adopted Jan. 21, will protect the city'0s EMS revenue and the fire department'0s ability to staff ambulances without competition from national private ambulance companies. He said revenue from EMS supports facilities, fleet and staffing that benefit the whole department.
Chief Webster also described statewide trends in which private ambulance providers have withdrawn from parts of California or struggled to meet response standards, and said granting an exclusive operating area to a local public provider mitigates the risk that a for-profit operator would undercut local capacity and service standards.
The council discussion covered mutual aid, response-time standards, and the contract'0s term. City staff said the agreement memorializes that Selma has provided the service since before 1980 and that the initial term would run until 2027 with options for two one-year extensions; the council can revisit or terminate the arrangement in the future.
Vote: Council approved the agreement (vote 4-1). Councilmember Trujillo voted no, saying he wanted more study of competitive impacts and ancillary arrangements.
What happens next: County and state EMS authorities must also process the agreement; staff said Fresno County had reviewed it and had scheduled related board action. If other providers seek to enter the area, the agreement makes Selma the primary provider and establishes the rules for mutual aid rather than a fully competitive market entry at present.
