Fire Chief forms a unique partnership with LA-based AmWest Ambulance to lease an empty Fire Station in Northern California to bolster revenue and offset costs.
SALIDA, CALIFORNIA– December 1, 2020 – Salida Fire Chief Pat Burns lead the efforts to partner with an LA-based ambulance service leasing out an empty fire station over the Thanksgiving holiday. After years of attempting to find some way to cover the expenses of their newest of three stations, Chief Burns crafted an agreement with AmWest Ambulance over the holiday.
Chief Burns like many Fire Chiefs faces increasing costs and shrinking budgets. Many districts built new fire stations prior to 2008/2009 when the economy and growth stalled in California. Faced with an empty station and its cost, Chief Burns looked for any viable option to help offset the expenses. AmWest Ambulance based in Los Angeles just opened a temporary location directly across the freeway from the station and was looking for a permanent ambulance base. With the help of local developer Bret Hughes, the introductions were made in October that lead to an agreement signed over the Thanksgiving holiday.
“When local growth stalled unexpectedly in 2008, we had just completed building our third fire station North of the town. After several years of slow growth, we started exploring options to cover costs. When Bret Hughes introduced me to the local AmWest Ambulance manager, I knew we had a viable option to offset costs and a way to maintain the station. We’re excited to have AmWest Ambulance as our tenant and partner” said Chief Pat Burns of Salida Fire District.
“Partnering with Salida Fire District just made good business sense for our growing company and offered a made to order operations center for our San Joaquin and Stanislaus operations. We are honored to take possession of this incredible facility and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Salida Fire and Chief Burns” said Boris Krutonog, President of CEO of AmWest Ambulance.
About AmWest Ambulance
AmWest Ambulance, based in North Hollywood California is a top-rated ambulance service providing a broad range of medical transportation services including emergency, basic life support, critical care, neonatal, specialty care, air medical and event medical standby support. In business for over 10 years, AmWest recently expanded their high-quality medical transportation services to Northern California with operation centers in Ranch Cordova and Salida, California. The operation based in Salida provides non-emergency ambulance transportation.