MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — Sierra Ambulance Service will be holding elections for its Board of Directors during the week of June 12 to 15, 2023. Members may vote at the Sierra Ambulance Service offices (see address and map below).
Date & Time: Monday, June 12 to Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
You may also vote at the board meeting on Thursday, June 15 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Sierra Ambulance is a non-profit, organization administered by a 9-member volunteer board of directors. This year four (4) seats are up for election. Board members serve a two-year term. The board meets monthly with occasional sub-committee meetings in between. Anyone interested in serving on the Sierra Ambulance Board of Directors must be a current member in good standing and submit a letter of interest addressed to the Election Committee.
The deadline for submission is Friday, June 9, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.
Mail, e-mail, or submit your letter in person to the Election Committee at Sierra Ambulance Service.
The letter should include a brief biography and a simple statement of interest. Your name will be placed on the ballot for the election in June.
For more information, please call 559-475-9821 or e-mail at info@sierraambulance.org.
Sierra Ambulance provides Eastern Madera County with paramedic ambulance service 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Sierra operates from three locations; in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, and in Bass Lake.
Sierra Ambulance is funded through patient fees for service, community support and its membership program. For membership information, or if you would like to make a donation, please click here.
Sierra Ambulance Service
40755 Winding Way
P.O. Box 2307
Oakhurst, CA 93644
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 2307
Oakhurst, CA 93644
About Sierra Ambulance Service
An Urgent Need (1963 – 1964)
There was an urgent need in Eastern Madera County for an ambulance service. A committee was formed of the Oakhurst Chamber, Sierra Kiwanis, and the North Fork Boosters, and was chaired by Harry Baker of Sierra Telephone. The committee announced the formation of the non-profit Sierra Ambulance Service in March of 1964.
In the same year, a membership drive raised $2,000 in approximately 2 months. At this time memberships were $5.00 and covered a $50.00 to $75.00 trip. Harry Baker fronted $1300 for a 1954 Cadillac high-top ambulance from Reedley with 80,000 miles (June ’64).
It Takes a Village (1969 – 1982)
During this time, the current 23 volunteers began to receive $15 per call and membership was up to 600 members (July ’69). A one-ton van was purchased for $12,000. The amount of volunteers increased to 30 and the first EMT-1s are hired. The Membership cost increased to $12 (January ’73).
The station for engine 12 was built and housed the ambulance (January ’77). Sierra Health Associates and Supervisor Don Darnell received a $25,000 grant from the James Irvine Foundation to build a second station. The new bay was to be located off of Highway 49 near the Living Center (March ’81).
A Professional Staff (1985 – 2000)
The first Paramedic is hired (July ’85). Sierra Ambulance averages approximately 65 calls per month (August ’86). The new living quarters are added to the two-bay station and the staff is paid “hour for hour” instead of $35 per call. A new fully-equipped ambulance was purchased for $100,000 and there were five full-time Paramedics, one full time EMT-1, and nine part-time EMT-1s (October ’88). The new station located on Winding Way off of Hwy 41 was built on August of 2000.
Still Growing (2003 – Present)
A station is built at Bass Lake (June 03). In 2014 Sierra Ambulance celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Sierra Ambulance Service is called to respond to approximately 4,300 calls per year (January 2022).
Not sure when to call an ambulance? Check out this important video today!
