Private ambulance companies put “lives before lunch” breaks. However, the State legislature is attempting to place more importance on making sure EMS workers get to finish their lunch, even if it will cost lives. This is totally unacceptable to private ambulance companies��”the EMS providers that transport 85 percent of the patients in California.
AB 263 (Rodriguez) puts the public at dire risk by placing big labor interests above the public’s safety. The bill was written under the guise of protecting private ambulance company workers, but in reality, AB 263 is nothing more than an unprecedented political power grab. If approved, the bill will result in: 1) ambulance response delays, and 2) the elimination of private local EMS providers.
All private ambulance companies, including local providers Life Line Medical Transport, San Luis Ambulance, and AMR, will suffer with the passage of AB 263.
AB 263 will delay ambulances responses. This bill makes an ambulance crew’s rest break or lunch break more important than responding to an emergency call, even if they are the closest ambulance. Under the proposed law, crews are not obligated to respond if they are on a break. This forces the next closest unit to be deployed, which may be 30 or 40 minutes away. Such a scenario is unacceptable. No private ambulance company wants to provide such poor, unresponsive service.
To make matters worse, AB 263 only applies to private ambulance companies. Public agencies and fire departments are not required to comply with this law. The double standard proposed by AB 263 is unfair, will force ambulance companies out of business, and will harm the public.
Call your state senator Hannah-Beth Jackson at (805) 965-0862 today and let her know you oppose AB 263. An important hearing is scheduled for June 28, so it is important that you call today. Let your senator know how you feel.
This article appears in Jul 6-13, 2017.