Bi-County Ambulance personnel demonstrate advanced medical training mannequins during a tour of the organization’s headquarters March 11 in Yuba City. The mannequins allow paramedics to simulate trauma injuries and cardiac emergencies during training scenarios.

 

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - When Bi-County Ambulance founder Kelly Bumpus secured contracts to start an ambulance service in 1976, he and his partner quickly realized they had one major problem, they did not actually own an ambulance.

Bumpus sold nearly everything he had, including his car, while co-founder Kenneth Van Winkle sold his peach orchard to raise the money needed to purchase their first emergency vehicle. That small startup soon grew into the region’s sole emergency medical service provider, responding to roughly 28,000 calls annually and serving more than 180,000 residents across Yuba and Sutter counties.

“Fifty years ago, my father started this company with a commitment to serve this community with professionalism and heart,” said Alex Bumpus, president and CEO of Bi-County Ambulance. “While we’ve grown and evolved, the foundation he built, trust, service and dedication, continues to guide every call we respond to today.”

A Bi-County Ambulance paramedic (left) demonstrates airway equipment using a training mannequin during a facility tour March 11 in Yuba City. The demonstration was part of the organization’s 50th anniversary event highlighting new training technology.

On Wednesday, March 11, community leaders, first responders and staff gathered outside the company’s Yuba City headquarters to celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary and unveil facility upgrades aimed at strengthening training and emergency response. During the ceremony, Bumpus shared stories about the company’s early years, including the unusual circumstances that came with launching an ambulance service with only a single vehicle.

“Because Kelly sold his car, the only vehicle he had left was the ambulance,” said Bumpus. “So when he was dating my mom, she always had to carry a dime in her pocket so she could call for a ride home if a call came in.”

At the time, ambulance crews did not operate in pairs during a shift. One responder kept the ambulance while the partner waited at home for calls. Kelly believed the system was inefficient and pushed for crews to stay together, improving response times and better patient care. Within a few years, Bi-County Ambulance became the region’s sole ambulance provider. Bumpus credited the agency’s early success in part to a partnership with a Rideout emergency room nurse named Ruth who helped develop a plan to improve emergency care and expand EMT training in the region.

“That partnership in providing better healthcare is what ultimately set Bi-County Ambulance apart from the other three ambulance services that were operating in town at the time,” said Bumpus.

Today, the organization works closely with fire departments, law enforcement agencies, hospitals and other public safety partners across the Yuba-Sutter region. Sutter County Supervisor Mike Ziegenmeyer, a former volunteer firefighter, said the company plays a critical role during emergencies such as wildfires.

A new Bi-County Ambulance training mannequin is used to demonstrate video laryngoscope technology during the organization’s 50th anniversary celebration March 11 at its headquarters in Yuba City. The equipment allows paramedics to record airway procedures and review them later for training purposes.

“When it’s 115 degrees outside and firefighters are working in the hills or the buttes, this is the group making sure their vitals are checked and they’re ready to keep going,” Ziegenmeyer said. “Without them, we couldn’t be doing our job.”

Yuba City Mayor Marc Boomgaarden echoed that sentiment.

“Sometimes communities have challenges with their ambulance providers,” Boomgaarden said. “But when my head hits the pillow at night, I don’t worry about Bi-County Ambulance. I know our citizens are being taken care of.”

Alongside the anniversary celebration, Bi-County Ambulance showcased upgrades to its headquarters and training program, including a newly repaved parking lot, updated landscaping and redesigned office space that places field supervisors closer to the dispatch center. But the most significant investment has been in advanced medical training technology. The company recently purchased highly realistic medical simulation mannequins capable of replicating trauma injuries, airway complications and cardiac emergencies.

“The mannequins are some of the most realistic training tools available,” Bumpus said. “We’ve never had a technology training device at this magnitude.”

Alex Bumpus, president and CEO of Bi-County Ambulance, speaks during the organization’s 50th anniversary celebration March 11 outside its headquarters in Yuba City. The family-owned ambulance service has provided emergency medical response to the Yuba-Sutter region since 1976.

Some mannequins simulate environmental conditions, becoming clammy when overheated or tightening when cold, allowing responders to practice treating patients in extreme weather scenarios. The company has also implemented video laryngoscope technology that records airway procedures so supervisors can review them during training. Paramedic supervisor Ashleigh Stoddard said the system allows trainers to analyze both successful and unsuccessful attempts.

“The minute the camera turns on, it starts recording,” she said. “If someone has an unsuccessful airway attempt, we can review it and figure out what happened, or show successful ones so other crews can learn.”

Bi-County Ambulance has also adopted a data analytics platform called FirstWatch that tracks response data and clinical trends to guide future training.

“If we see metrics where we’re not meeting the standards we expect, that becomes the focus of the next week’s or next month’s training,” Bumpus said.

As part of the ceremony, two peach trees were planted outside the facility to honor the company’s founders.

“Today is about celebrating our past,” Bumpus said. “But it’s also about looking forward and making sure the next generation can rely on the same trusted service that has defined this organization for five decades.”