Sam Morgen
The Bakersfield Californian
KERN COUNTY, Calif. — Hall Ambulance now controls 911 emergency services for nearly all of Kern County after purchasing Delano Ambulance Service in September.
With the purchase, Hall becomes the 911 paramedic provider for 94 percent of the county. The only other one is Liberty Ambulance in Ridgecrest.
On Tuesday, the Kern County Board of Supervisors approved the transfer of ownership from the Delano service’s owner Aaron Moses to Hall.
The company, which was owned by late Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall, has served Kern residents for 50 years. In 2014, Hall bought Kern Ambulance in Wasco, continuing an expansion that began in its earliest days.
“When my husband started Hall Ambulance in 1971, he did so with the vision to introduce his standard of care to as many Kern County residents as possible,” Lavonne C. Hall, president and CEO of Hall Ambulance, said in a news release. “From the company’s first expansion in 1975 ( Arvin) to its most recent in 2014 ( Wasco), Hall Ambulance has experienced steady growth built on a positive reputation of providing high-quality pre-hospital care to the communities we serve.”
The news of its most recent purchase came as a surprise to most locals. Delano Ambulance Service has been in the community since 1953, and many residents had grown to trust the brand.
“The community is going to be a little surprised, because we’re used to seeing Delano Ambulance, and now we’re going to see Hall. So I’m sure there will be a lot of questions,” said Delano Pastor David Vivas. “It is a big deal because Delano is like one big family and when you no longer see part of the family ... you learn to adjust, you learn to accept. My main concern is that they bring the same exact services that the people here were accustomed to in their cases of emergency.”
An email purporting to be from the final crew to work for Delano Ambulance Service thanked the community for being welcomed into their homes throughout the company’s 68 years of existence.
“This staff will continue to carry on the traditions of service above self, fraternity, and honor that has made Delano Ambulance a pillar of the community and to their next posts will carry on the vigilance and care that they put into every call at Delano Ambulance Service,” the email read.
Hall Ambulance declined a request for comment from The Californian, as did a representative of the former Delano Ambulance Service office.
In the news release, Hall said its transition team had been working diligently to ensure a smooth transition. Kern County Public Health spokeswoman Michelle Corson said Hall Ambulance would continue providing service to the Delano area without interruption.
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