Along the Blossom Trail…

Over the years I had been with the Central California EMS Agency, one of the duties required site visits to the various EMS providers in the Central Valley region. I always considered it a "perk" that I was able to travel along the "Blossom Highway", which is a feast for the eyes and senses. Every variety of produce can be found in this Valley. Spring is abundant with colors and smells, and Fall brings the distinct color changes to the leaves. Not as profound as in the New England states, but still beautiful.

One of the providers along this route is the Sequoia Safety Council, and has a history worth sharing.   Their origins started like most small communities, volunteer. Neighbor helping neighbor. Today they have 3 stations, plans for a 4^th, and paid staff to ensure Paramedic level service to the communities they serve.    

In 1952 the Reedley and Orange Cove areas found themselves without an ambulance due to the local funeral home discontinuing their service. A temporary committee was formed composed of representative organizations.   It was agreed to raise money by selling 3" x 3" green cross-window stickers for $1.00 each. The name "Sequoia Safety Council" was adopted and was listed on the sticker. These stickers were sold throughout the Reedley-Orange Cove area by members of various organizations.

The Parlier area joined the Sequoia Safety Council in 1963. The area now covered by the service, roughly 650 square miles, is East of Mendocino Ave., South of Highway 180 including the mountains to the East and South to the Fresno-Tulare County line.

At first the service was manned by M.C.C. volunteers who worked at Kings View Hospital. The ambulance was housed at various locations such as the M.C.C. residence at Curtis and Klein Ave. or the Reedley Hospital located at Dinuba and West Avenues in Reedley. Later the ambulance was housed at the old City Hall / Fire Station.

When the present Reedley Fire Station was built, Sequoia Safety Council was given enough space for two ambulances. In 1992 Sequoia Safety Council built its own facility located at 746 G Street in Reedley and in 1996 a second station was established in the Orange Cove Fire Station at 550 Center Street.

In 2001 the Sequoia Safety Council sold the facility on G Street and constructed a new and much larger facility at 500 E. 11th Street. The groundwork for a third station began with the purchase of the land for the Squaw Valley Station in 2002 and the remodel construction was completed in 2005. A new Orange Cove station was recently completed in 2007. Sequoia Safety Council is currently purchasing property in Parlier for another facility location.

Reedley Headquarters station

Currently the Sequoia Safety Council has 5 ambulances, 1 supervisor vehicle, and over 30 employees which include 8 full time paramedics, 8 full-time EMTs, 10 paid-per-call EMTs, 1 part-time educator, 2 full-time office staff, and 1 part-time office person.

For more information you can visit their web site at: http://www.sequoiasafetycouncil.com/