Why a New Ambulance Station?

The Ambulance facility located at 2515 Main Street is a 67-year-old building in need of major infrastructure improvements. The building is beyond its useful lifespan and retrofitting is not economically feasible.

The Cambria Community Healthcare District is seeking funding for a new ambulance station. The proposed new station will ensure a safe working environment for our first responders and administrative staff and provide safer living quarters for our Paramedics and EMTs. In addition, an apparatus bay will allow ambulances to be securely garaged and protected from the corrosive coastal environment thereby extending vehicle service life. The new ambulance station will meet all code requirements and be designed and constructed to resist fire, earthquake, or high winds, assuring first responder safety and fleet readiness. This new station, in turn, would enhance community safety when emergencies or natural disasters occur. 

With the identified need to replace the aging facility, the Cambria Community Healthcare District Board of Directors will place a ballot measure on the upcoming November 2024 ballot.

CCHD Ballot Measure History - What has changed?

In November 2022, the District placed Measure G-22, an $8.5 million bond measure on the ballot, and achieved 61.4% of voter support, just slightly below the required percentage needed to pass. Throughout 2023, CCHD Board members and Property and Facilities committee members continued to work on creating innovative plans to decrease the proposed ambulance station's size and project cost. By listening to feedback from community members and first responders, the District modified its approach and decreased the cost from $8.5 million to $6.5 million. Then in March of 2024, CCHD received a Community Projects Funding Grant sponsored by Congressman Jimmy Panetta in the amount of $1 million to begin phase one of the facility replacement. The remaining $5.5 million is necessary for the project completion of the new ambulance station and apparatus bay.

What will the passage of the measure mean for our community?

The passing of the 2024 ballot measure would most importantly help assure our community that residents and visitors will continue to receive the best possible local emergency medical care and ambulance transports for decades. In addition, the new ambulance station will ensure a safe working environment for our critical first responders, EMS professionals, and administrative staff.

How can I be sure that funds will be spent on improving our ambulance station?

By law, all ballot measure funds must be spent locally and cannot be taken by the state. Funds can only be spent on healthcare facilities and not on the salaries of staff or administrators. In addition, a local independent oversight committee will be established to ensure the funds are properly spent.

What will the measure cost?

The tax rate per property is estimated to be less than $8 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. (It’s important not to confuse assessed valuation with market value. Assessed valuations are the values placed on property by the County and are almost always lower than market values). Check your property tax statement for your current assessed valuation.

CCHD History

Established in 1947, the Cambria Community Healthcare District provides Advanced Life Support ambulance service and community health education, serving the communities of Cambria, San Simeon, Harmony, and the surrounding North Coast of San Luis Obispo County. At times, CCHD covers areas within SLO County through the San Luis Obispo County Emergency Medical Service Agency cooperative system.

The District provides 24-hour emergency ambulance service to over 6,500 residents and over one million annual visitors within a 310 square mile area from the Monterey County line in the north, Villa Creek Road in the south, and the crest of SR 46 in the east. By providing emergency response and ambulance transport, CCHD supports “Minutes Matter”, delivering locally-based ambulance services to respond in ten minutes or less within Cambria. The shorter response time improves survival and recovery from emergencies such as stroke, heart attack, automobile accidents, etc., as every minute of response time is critical for our patients.

For more information visit Cambria-healthcare.org or call 805-927-8304