Crime & Safety
2 Cities Demand Better Ambulance Service In Alameda County
Falck is a private company that provides ambulance service here. It has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for performance issues.
ALAMEDA COUNTY — Since receiving an exclusive contract to provide ambulance service in Alameda County in 2019, Falck has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for performance issues, according to a report in the East Bay Times.
Now, the managers of two cities — Pleasanton and Livermore — have sent a letter demanding better service because of poor response times. "The expectation of our community is a quicker ambulance response when 911 is called," the letter read.
According to the report, firefighters who provide emergency medical treatment to patients are stuck waiting as long as 25 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
In 2022, Hayward firefighters transported a series of patients to hospitals themselves because of long wait times. Falck sent the fire department a cease-and-desist letter.
There is a long list of challenges leading to the extended wait times, but the bottom line for frustrated cities is simple: just fix it.
Read the full report in the East Bay Times.
Also See:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
