California Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority

The California Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority (or "Cal Tahoe") is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) formed in 2001 to provide ambulance service under a contract with the County of El Dorado to the Tahoe South Shore service area and parts of northwestern Alpine County. The JPA's administrative offices are located at South Lake Tahoe Airport.

JPA Organization Chart [.pdf]

9-1-1 Dispatch 

Medic 3 - South Lake Tahoe

As of July 1, 2006 the JPA includes two member agencies:

Lake Valley Fire Protection District 
City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Department  

Cal Tahoe JPA operates three full-time ambulances and maintains two reserve ambulances that are dispatched by the City of South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Paramedics from South Lake Tahoe Fire Department and Lake Valley Fire District responded to 2,169 emergency medical calls in 2006. This contract for ambulance service is funded thru County Service Area No. 3, and Cal Tahoe has a $2 million operating budget for FY 2006-07. The JPA was originally awarded a five-year contract for 911 ambulance services effective September 1, 2001, and has received five additional one-year contract extensions following satisfactory performance reviews by the EMS Agency in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.