New Ambulance Fees, Policies Proposed In Fire District

LAMORINDA, CA — The Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District has scheduled a public hearing that could reshape what residents pay for emergency medical transport, setting up a decision that touches both household costs and the region’s emergency response system.

The district’s board of directors will weigh revising ambulance transport fees and overhaul how those charges are collected.

The proposal would replace the current ordinance and install updated pricing tied to the cost of delivering emergency medical services, while preserving the option to waive fees when collecting them would not serve the public interest.

District records show the proposal draws on cost analyses and projected revenue streams, including support from the general fund. Those documents are available for public inspection, outlining the financial pressures behind the move to recalibrate fees.

The district covers 42 square miles, serving about 38,500 residents in Moraga, Orinda, and surrounding unincorporated areas in southwest Contra Costa County, including Canyon and Bollinger Canyon. The agency provides all-risk fire service to urban, suburban, and rural residential housing, as well as open spaces and regional parks in the area.

The decision now turns on public input and board deliberation. Officials will hold the hearing at the Orinda Library Auditorium in Orinda, with a hybrid format that allows both in-person and virtual participation. Residents can also submit written comments ahead of the meeting.

Details on how to participate will be available on the May 20 agenda for the Board of Directors, published at www.mofd.org/agendas.

If you go: Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District Board of Directors meeting
7 p.m. on May 20, Orinda Library Auditorium, 26 Orinda Way and online
Info and Contact: District Clerk at (925) 258-4501