DATE: September 9, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Joe Prado, Interim Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Voluntary Termination of Agreements for Fire Dispatch Services with North Central Fire Protection District
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Accept termination letter from North Central Fire Protection District for fire dispatch services revenue Agreement No. 24-322, effective August 1, 2025; and
2. Retroactively authorize the Department of Public Health Director’s submission of a written notice to K.W.P.H., dba American Ambulance to terminate Agreement No. 24-323 for fire dispatch services for North Central Fire Protection District, pursuant to the Without Cause provision of the Agreement, effective August 1, 2025.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the first recommended action will accept termination of dispatch service revenue agreement with the North Central Fire Protection District (NCFPD) at the Fresno County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Communications Center effective August 1, 2025. Approval of the second recommended action will allow the voluntary without cause termination of NCFPD services with American Ambulance effective August 1, 2025. This item pertains to a location outside of the County’s jurisdiction, but within the operational area of the Central California EMS Agency.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. With the termination of Agreement No. 24-322, there will be a loss of revenue in the amount of $198,726 for FY 2025-26 and $204,687 for FY 2026-27. This is mostly offset by decreasing expenditures to American Ambulance with the termination of Agreement No. 24-323 in the amount of $189,960 for FY 2025-26 and $195,660 for FY 2026-27. The amount kept by the County through these agreements in the amount of $8,766 for FY 2025-26 and $9,027 for FY 2026-27 will be offset by redistributing those costs and charging more to other users of the EMS Communication’s Center for EMS and fire dispatch services. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Department of Public Health’s Org 5620 FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On June 18, 2024, your Board approved revenue Agreement 24-322 with NCFPD and service Agreement 24-323 with American Ambulance regarding the provision of fire dispatch services with the EMS Communications Center. Fire Dispatch services for NCFPD began on July 1, 2021 after your Board approved Agreements 21-164 and 21-165 on May 11, 2021.
On June 5, 2025, NCFPD provided a written letter of termination stating their intent to terminate Agreement 24-322 for no cause in accordance with Section 6.3 of the Service Agreement and discontinue receiving fire dispatch services from the EMS Communications Center no later than September 1, 2025, switching to CalFire dispatch. On July 25, 2025, NCFPD provided a subsequent written letter of termination stating their intent to move up the timeline for transition to CalFire to August 1, 2025.
As there is a corresponding service agreement with American Ambulance, who operates the EMS Communications Center on behalf of County, and provides dispatch services for NCFPD through Agreement 24-323, the Department provided a written without cause letter of termination to American Ambulance on July 29, 2025 and signed by American Ambulance on July 29, 2025.
The recommended actions approve both letters of termination, confirming cancellation of fire dispatch services for NCFPD. The recommended actions do not affect ongoing services with the EMS Communications Center operated by American Ambulance.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #61, June 18, 2024
BAI #38, May 1, 2021
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk – Letter of Termination from NCFPD
On file with Clerk – Letter of Termination to American Ambulance
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander