California City Launches First Paramedic Program

Hemet’s first paramedic program – one of the positives to come out of the years-long debate over who will provide fire services in the city – is set to launch Tuesday.

The lack of such a program was one of the talking points as the City Council debated whether to keep the municipal department or contract with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

It was one reason cited by a slim council majority in voting in September to contract out services, and starting the program was one of the conditions connected to the county contract.

But a new council majority was elected Tuesday, vowing to stop talks with the county and keep the 106-year-old local department – and the new paramedics.

Firefighters say they have wanted a paramedic program for years, but the city wouldn’t pay for it, leaving that service to American Medical Response, the county’s contracted ambulance service.

Hemet has spent $300,000 for equipment, such as defibrillators, breathing apparatus and medications, and other start up costs, interim Fire Chief Peter Bryan said.

Starting Tuesday, most emergency medical calls in the city will be responded to by paramedics from both the fire department and AMR.

The city has employed firefighters certified to work as paramedics for more than a decade. Hemet currently has 10 firefighters who are authorized to work as paramedics, and Bryan said he’s looking to hire at least five more.

Until the department is at full staffing, calls to the city’s three busiest stations will be responded to by a three-person team, including a paramedic, and an ambulance from AMR.

AMR personnel will be the only paramedics responding at the city’s far west and east ends for the time being, Bryan said.

Hemet is working with AMR and Hemet Valley Medical Center to implement the program.



951-368-9086 or cshultz@pe.com