By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen
Vallejo Times Herald
AMERICAN CANYON, Calif. — The city’s public transportation and ambulance service will be adjusted to reflect their growth and the Town Center project moved a step closer to reality Tuesday.
Karen Smith, Napa County public health officer and deputy director of its health and human services department warned that the battle among the three ambulance companies vying for the county contract will likely get ugly.
The current franchise holder has been operating for the 10 years allowed before a competitive process is required, she said.
County and city officials agree that whoever gets the contract should upgrade what has been called the current antiquated dispatch system. County officials also understand city officials’ concerns over possibly raising the acceptable response time to 10 minutes from eight, even in urban areas like American Canyon.
“As a medical professional, I know that every second matters in a medical emergency,” American Canyon Mayor Leon Garcia said.
American Canyon’s Fire Protection District only offers Basic Life Support Services with Emergency Medical Technicians, who arrive in five minutes or less, 90 percent of the time. The Napa Fire Department, by contrast, has paramedics on their engines who offer Advanced Life Support.
“Maybe, then, it’s OK for the ambulance response time to be 10 minutes in the city of Napa, since the paramedics are there before that,” Napa County Supervisor Keith Caldwell said. “Or, maybe in American Canyon you add paramedics.”
Garcia said equipment upgrades also are needed.
“Now, if you call 9-1-1, the dispatcher has to pick up a phone and call Cal Fire, who then has to call the responding engine company, and make another call to the ambulance provider,” Garcia said. “This is unacceptable in today’s electronically connected era.”
In other business, American Canyon Transit, also known as “the Duck,” is being reworked because transit officials found in a ridership study that fewer people need to take the bus to shop in Vallejo. The study also found that tweaking the bus schedule to accommodate students attending the new American Canyon High School has increased ridership.
Bus schedules and routes will be adjusted to encompass retail, banking and other establishments that have sprung up inside the city since the last study. Riders needing to get to Vallejo for medical treatments or to the ferry or to connect to BART, will still be able to do so, particularly with the VINE Go service, which can provide door-to-door service.
Also, after 18 years trying, the council approved the construction of four bocce ball courts in Veterans Memorial Park. The first phase will cost about $25,000 in park impact fees. The other phases will add amenities.
The courts will be built by volunteers and should start in spring.
Council members also approved a pre-annexation agreement for the area which will contain the Town Center, moving that long-awaited project a step closer, as well.
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