DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Joe Prado, Director of Public Health
SUBJECT: Agreement for Dispatch Services for the City of Avenal at the Fresno County Emergency Medical Services Communications Center
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive revenue Agreement with the City of Avenal, for dispatch services for the City of Avenal Fire Department through the Fresno County Emergency Medical Services Communications Center, effective June 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027, total not to exceed $57,133; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with K.W.P.H. Enterprises, d.b.a. American Ambulance, for City of Avenal Fire Department dispatch services through the Fresno County Emergency Medical Services Communications Center, effective June 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027, total not to exceed $51,690.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions will allow for the provision of dispatch services for the City of Avenal Fire Department at the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Communications Center. The second recommended action is for a separate agreement with American Ambulance for actual provision of dispatch services and to pass-through funds received from the Avenal Fire Department for reimbursement of personnel and dispatch costs provided by American Ambulance. County retains a portion to offset County costs, with no increase in Net County cost. This item pertains to a location in District 2; however, it includes services provided to the City of Avenal, which is outside County jurisdiction, but within the jurisdiction of the Central California EMS Agency’s regional functions.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the City of Avenal will need to find another dispatch center for their fire department.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreements are retroactive to June 1, 2026, as the City of Avenal (Avenal) created its own fire department that began services on that date, which also required American Ambulance to begin dispatch services on that date as well.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The recommended agreements are fully funded with pass-through revenue from Avenal. The total cost of $51,690 is fully offset by revenue of $57,133, with the County retaining $5,443 to offset County costs, such as personnel and radio equipment. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent fiscal year budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
The Fresno County EMS Communications Center (Center) is a regional EMS and fire dispatch center responsible for the management and dispatch of all ambulance requests in Fresno, Kings, and Madera Counties and several fire departments in Fresno County.
The City of Avenal has created its own fire department that began services on June 1, 2026. Currently, Kings County Fire Department provides fire services in the City of Avenal, which ended on that date. The City of Avenal and Kings County have not been able to reach an agreement for dispatch services.
The proposed revenue agreement with Avenal allows them to contract with the County for dispatch services utilizing the Center, which is staffed and operated by American Ambulance under its exclusive operating Agreement with the County of Fresno.
Both recommended agreements have a one-year, seven-month term as American Ambulance’s Exclusive Operation Area (EOA) and EMS Communications Center operations agreement, County Agreement No. 17-218, ends on December 31, 2027. The Department is currently in the process of developing a competitive request for proposal (RFP), which will need to be completed by the Department to determine how that EOA continues past that date.
The proposed service agreement with American Ambulance allows the County to pass-through funds received by Avenal to American Ambulance for fire dispatch services.
The proposed revenue agreement with City of Avenal requires the County to maintain insurance as the service provider, and can be terminated without cause by either party with a ninety-day written notice, and either party may terminate the contract if the other party commits a material breach by providing a ten-day written notice, unless the breaching party cures the breach within the ten days.
The proposed service agreement with American Ambulance can be terminated without cause by either party with a sixty-day written notice, and either party may terminate the contract if the other party commits a material breach by providing a seven-day written notice, unless the breaching party cures the breach within seven days.
The proposed agreements contain a mutual hold harmless clause and in the event of an act of God, act of public enemy, or other extraordinary cause not reasonably within control of either party, the proposed agreements contain a force majeure clause, which excuses the parties’ performance under the agreements.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #14, May 16, 2017
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with City of Avenal
On file with Clerk - Agreement with American Ambulance
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander