When someone makes a call for emergency services, they do not typically think of the procedural steps needed before sending help. However, if you are a resident of Oxnard, you are more likely to experience significant delay in receiving help than anywhere else in Ventura County.
AB 1168, which would only affect Oxnard, seeks to address the systemic inequities of the City's emergency ambulance services. A study by the Oxnard Fire Department found that low-income areas, consistently, had nearly twice as many underperforming ambulance response times. Due to existing interpretation of the EMS Act, Oxnard, and cities in a similar situation, are not empowered to serve their residents. AB 1168 would allow the City of Oxnard to maintain its authority over emergency ambulance services, and clarifies that cities do not automatically lose their rights when they join a JPA.
Hear from Oxnard Fire Chief Alexander Hamilton on why AB 1168 is critical for Oxnard: