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Fullerton Council Approves City‑Operated Ambulance Program; Officials Say Shift Will Lower Unit‑Hour Costs
Summary
After staff presented a financial and operations plan, the council approved a transition to a city‑operated ambulance service, authorizing vehicle purchases and directing staff to develop a transition plan for implementation in 2026. The vote was 4‑1 with Councilmember Dunlap opposed.
Fullerton — The City Council approved a plan on April 1 to move ambulance transport operations in‑house, directing the fire department to begin vehicle procurement and staff recruitment aimed at launching the program in spring 2026.
Fire Chief Adam Mosier presented the proposal, describing years of incremental change in the city’s ambulance oversight and a current contract model with FALC. Mosier said a city‑run model would provide “direct oversight of staffing, training, patient care, and ultimately response times,” and projected an all‑in in‑house unit hour cost of about $81.85 compared with an estimated contracted rate of $95 per hour. He asked the council to authorize purchase orders for ambulances and gurneys not to exceed specified amounts and to direct staff to prepare a detailed transition plan.
Council debate focused on fiscal assumptions, liability and insurance, vendor lead times, recruitment and the program’s labor classification. Deputy administrative analyst Andrew Yang said the $81.85 figure is inclusive of pension and benefits and that staff had added a 10% contingency to the startup estimate. The city attorney and HR staff also briefed the council on liability and insurance estimates.
Public reaction was mixed. Several residents and advocacy groups voiced support for in‑house services and better continuity of patient care; other commenters urged the council to delay, commission an actuarial review, or pursue a competitive bid process prior to committing to the transition.
The vote: Councilmember Valencia moved to approve the transition; the motion passed on roll call with Dunlap voting No and Valencia, Zara, Charles and Mayor Jung voting Yes. The council authorized staff to select vendors and execute financing agreements consistent with the requested amounts and directed the fire department to return with implementation details.
Next steps: Staff will place orders for vehicles and equipment, finalize job classifications and recruitment timelines, and return with a transition plan and proposed mutual aid agreements.
