SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — It was a rocky start between San Diego Fire-Rescue and ambulance provider Falck.
More than three years later, that relationship has changed with the ambulance company calling it a success.
Falck took over the city contract from ambulance provider American Medical Response in late 2021.
In the beginning, there were multiple issues with payroll and Falck staffing.
Falck was also consistently failing to meet the required hours of service it promised the city and lagged in response times.
“For me to have to continue to go back to council and say they’re not living up to their promise also has my name next to that. I do take that very seriously,” said former SDFD chief Colin Stowell, during an interview with anchor Melissa Mecija in Dec. 2022.
In 2023, the city and Falck entered into what is known as the alliance model. It designates the city as the “provider of record, and gives the Fire-Rescue Department full control and management of the ambulance system (staffing, deployment and billing), according to a spokesperson for SDFD. That allows for additional revenue which is only available to public providers.
As part of the agreement, AMR was also brought back to help with response times and staffing.
When asked about the revenue brought in through this model, an SDFD spokesperson wrote in an email, “By the end of FY25, the EMS Fund is projected to have an approximate fund balance of $9 million.” She explained that is not the entire profit, but the funds used to offset the costs of running the EMS system.
The partnership does create millions in revenue—so much so, that part of that money was transferred to contribute to the general fund.
As far as the contract with Falck, there could be changes down the line.
“The City intends to conduct a formal Request for Proposal for emergency medical services in the future, but exact timing and scope of services have yet to be determined. All EMS service delivery options would be explored and carefully evaluated to ensure continued excellence in delivering emergency medical services to the city of San Diego,” wrote SDFD public information office Candace Hadley.
Falck told ABC 10News that the ambulance provider “values its continued collaboration with the city of San Diego and the success of the alliance model. Our top priority is providing reliable, high-quality ambulance service to all San Diegans and supporting our more than 400 paramedics, EMTs and critical support staff.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: ABC 10News updated this article on June 5, 2025, to reflect AMR’s participation in the alliance model.
