Take Me To Post Comment Form In December of 2007, Southern California EMS moved its base of operations to the Santa Clarita Valley that would allow for better service to the region. In the months to follow, Capt. Ed Castillo has been working hard to integrate the Southern California EMS organization into the Santa Clarita Valley, a place that has a special place in his heart. Ed graduated from Saugus High School which left a lasting impression upon him. He owes his success to the staff at Saugus who molded him into the person he is today. His passion is to give back what was given to him.

His dream of being able to give back and serve here in Santa Clarita was dampened when he learned that AMR ambulance has been given the contract to not only provide 911 service but also the exclusive contract to provide medical standby at Santa Clarita events. This arrangement has stirred up a few companies saying that this creates an unfair advantage. Event sponsors said it would kill competition and eliminate their ability to bargain for lower prices. Southern California EMS specifically specializes in event standby.

AMR has a consistent record of swallowing up small ambulance companies such as Newhall Ambulance and Wilson Ambulance in years past. They have also brought the wrath of city leaders all over the nation to come down hard on them. This will continue to happen. AMR has been known to inflate service costs as this has been well documented.

Event sponsors and organizers should be able to have a choice in who they hire for their events. The misconception is that the sheer size of AMR makes them more qualified to provide medical standby. Sometimes sponsors and organizers are not given a choice in the matter that raises the possibility of AMR inflating rates for medical standby.

Ed has been considering working with other companies in the area to see that the monopoly is broken and thereby allowing people to make a choice for their medical standby needs.

For more info, Contact:
Doug Gladstone, PIO
www.socalems.com