Del Norte Ambulance, located in Del Norte County, CA., has undergone many changes over the past 30-plus years.
In the mid 1970s, ambulance services were operated by mortuary services. Medical care provided at the scene or in route was virtually non-existent. With the bankruptcy of one service and the refusal to operate an ambulance service by the other, the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors sought the owner of Mad River Ambulance service, 70 miles south of Crescent City. He secured a place of business and began putting first aid providers and later EMT 1's on call, to provide service to the community as needed.
In 1979, it became clear to the owner that it would be very difficult to improve services beyond the basic care and transportation as a non-resident owner. The company was purchased and the new owners became resident owners and managers. At that point the service featured two older homemade ambulances, stocked and equipped with the basic minimum equipment and staffed by first aid/drivers and EMT 1 attendants.
In March of 1980, the EMT 2 program was introduced. By January of 1981, the EMT 2 program was operating at full capacity.
In 1985, it was realized by the owners that they were unable to improve the service any further. That's when Ron Sandler, moving from Southern California with six years of Paramedic experience, purchased the company. He began the restructuring of the company to include more modernized equipment, higher levels of training and professional standards.
In 1989, he started Del Norte Air Ambulance Service, which provided fixed wing emergency and non-emergency transportation using state-of-the-art equipment.
In 1992, Paramedic services were implemented into the Del Norte County process. In 1996, the Del Norte Ground and Air Ambulance headquarters office was built in Fort Dick. This station marks the first station to be built for ambulance services in Del Norte County.
In 1998, Del Norte Ambulance aquired its own aircraft, ending a rental agreement. The purchase of this aircraft insured our ability to provide the best care possible to anyone in need of air ambulance services.
Del Norte Ambulance has very specific ideas as to the way an ambulance service should be operated. The most important items are "teamwork" and the promise that we are "Dedicated to Service."
The overriding goal of all Del Norte Ambulance Ground and Air Service personnel is providing the best possible "Patient Care."
The aforementioned accomplishments -- along with many other lesser accomplishments -- have earned Del Norte Ambulance the recognition of continually improving the medical services for the community. We know we will continue to improve in the years to come.
