SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - After months of planning and investments, Santa Barbara County is selling off 35 unused ambulance vehicles.
The department had planned to operate full emergency medical services for the county, replacing American Medical Response (AMR). After controversial hearings with the County Board of Supervisors and legal action, AMR was given a new contract.
An analysis for the fire department to have some of the service area including Carpinteria and Lompoc did not financially "pencil out" and that option was also eliminated.
The Board of Supervisors has authorized the sale of the ambulances to help the county get back its investment.
County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig says already he has had calls from other agencies and there is an interest in buying all of the vehicles. He would like to get back what the county paid for them.
The department has been criticized for buying the vehicles before it had a firm contract. Hartwig said, "to throw your hat in the ring, you had to make an investment so as required for part of the bid for us to put in a bid was to have ambulances."
Andy Caldwell with the Coalition of Labor Agriculture and Business (COLAB) has been outspoken about the finances that were put out for this plan. He said, "in my 34 years it was the worst scandal I've seen in the county. This thing was a scam and the taxpayers would like to have an apology and have some accountability. $11.1 million was wasted in this effort. Has anybody lost their job? "
The timing on reselling the vehicles is good since they are not outdated. Some already have equipment inside. "They are a chassis that is hard to get and the units we have are very generic. There's been a lot of interest. Once people realized we were not going to use them, they have been reaching out to us," said Harwig.
The county had also spent time with the hiring process for paramedics and staff for medical services.
It will continue to provide ambulance responses in two locations, Isla Vista and Cuyama.
Hartwig said he is encouraged by the possible sale soon and wants to move forward from this issue.
Unused Ambulance Vehicles are now for sale by Santa Barbara County Fire News Channel 3-12.
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