Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire board declines Ross request to delay station closure after new data on ambulance availability
Summary
Council reported the fire board declined to delay the closure of the Ross fire station despite council requests; a study presented to the council indicated Ross Valley Paramedic Authority ambulances are available roughly 40% of the time, not the 80–85% previously cited, raising concerns about medical response if the station closes.
A council member reported that the fire board declined a Ross request to delay the planned closure of the Ross fire station.
The council’s report summarized background from the 2021 decision to close the station and said that staff and earlier fire‑department presentations had suggested the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) ambulance service would maintain similar medical‑response times if the station closed. The council report referenced a recent study suggesting the RVPA ambulance is available for about 40% of calls — substantially lower than the 80–85% figure cited previously — and said that discrepancy could materially change expected medical‑response outcomes for Ross if the station closes.
Council members urged that the decision not be framed as an either/or between maintaining Ross station staffing and ensuring medical response levels; they recommended further attention to RVPA stability and proposed pursuing lease negotiations or other discussions with the paramedic authority (a council member later requested a closed session on lease negotiations).
No formal action by the council was recorded on Jan. 9 beyond the report of the fire board’s decision.
