Ambulance services — and the impacts they have on fire protection — is underscored in the San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Systems System Assessment completed in April.

*In Ripon, the fire district is heavily subsidizing its ambulance service through property tax.

*In Manteca, due to not just the financial viability of  Manteca District Ambulance but also its level of service, City of Manteca taxpayers are avoiding $2 million in annual costs.

“Manteca District Ambulance is doing a fantastic job,” noted Manteca Fire Chief Dave Marques.

The fire chief noted there are no issues with adequate response time.

It is why Manteca is the only urban fire agency in San Joaquin County that does not offer nor is preparing to offer advance life support which means hiring paramedics.

It would cost roughly $2 million in ongoing personnel costs for the city to have paramedic services as opposed to basic life support.

Manteca Fire and Manteca District Ambulance dispatch units concurrently to medical emergencies. If firefighters arrive first, they will conduct basic life support measures as needed.

If the ambulance isn’t on scene first, the delay time is so minimal that an outside consulting firm with expertise in auditing the performances of medical and fire services determined in 2020 there was currently no need for the city to do things differently.

Agencies with advanced life support are Ripon Consolidated Fire District, South County Fire Authority (Tracy), and Stockton Fire Department,.

The Lathrop-Manteca Fire District and Lodi Fire Departjent have plans approved to go from basic to advance life support but they have yet to be implemented.

The assessment states that there “does not appear that there is robust joint training and education between ambulance and first responder staff” throughout most of the county.

In Manteca’s case, there is training and such which is  among the reasons why the response protocols in the city work so well.

Manteca average response time to 9-1-1- calls is 7 minutes and 29 seconds.

That is quicker than all but one of 10 counties the consultant compared response time with. Ripon was at 8 minutes.

In examine financials, the assessment reported the findings of certified public accountant audits.

The assessment report states “(Manteca District Ambulance) has a healthy margin between revenue and expenses in its Manteca/Lathrop operations.”

In regards to Ripon Fire, the audit includes both EMS and fire operations, which is challenging when assessing the ambulance service.

Property taxes in Ripon

subsidizes ambulance service

 Ambulance revenue in fiscal year 2022 was $533,000.

According to the emergency system consultants that conducted the overall assessment of county services, most providers estimate at least $1 million to a operate an ALS ambulance 24/7 annually.

 “Therefore,” the report states, “The current ambulance program is not self-sustaining and requires a heavy subsidy from property tax revenue. The CPA noted that general expenses outpace revenue compared to the prior year.”

The report also states “more revenue may be available (to Ripon Fire) than received based on the higher proportion of privately insured patients in its zone. The report recommends the fire district may want to conduct a billing audit to ensure it is collecting the maximum revenue possible.

While its one ambulance if fully staff, Ripon Fire is struggling with adequate engine staffing.

It has been running only one engine for the past several years due to financial constraints forcing the closure of the River Road station.

They have only three firefighters on any given shift meaning they need to wait for an automatic aid engine from Manteca to arrive so there are the prerequisite minimum of four fighters on hand to effectively combat structure fires.

The Ripon Fire District is in the midst of a mail-in ballot election to raise parcel assessments.

If it passes, the district will have an additional $1.8 million in revenue and will be able to fully man two fire engine companies 24/7.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com