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The Santa Monica City Council Tuesday approved the addition of a second unit to the Fire Department’s new Advanced Provider Unit Program, following the successful launch of the first unit in November 2025.
The Advanced Provider Unit, or APU, is a specialized Mobile Integrated Health resource designed to address complex medical and behavioral health calls and frequent 911 users in a way that supports both community well-being and system resiliency.
The APU initiative is part of the city’s two-year strategic Realignment Plan, building organizational capacity and delivering smarter, more coordinated public safety service.
“This is what modern public safety looks like,” Mayor Caroline Torosis said. “We’re meeting people where they are, delivering advanced care in the field, reducing strain on our ERs, and keeping ambulances ready for true emergencies. The data from the first three months is clear. It works. Expanding the APU means better outcomes for vulnerable residents and a more resilient system for everyone.”
Staffed by a firefighter-paramedic and a nurse practitioner, the APU combines advanced clinical capability with full integration into Fire Department operations and medical oversight. With this staffing model, the APU team can conduct advanced clinical assessments in the field, provide treatment in place when appropriate, coordinate follow-up care and service connections, and reduce unnecessary emergency department transports.
And by addressing calls that do not require a traditional emergency response, the APU reduces strain on frontline units and allows police officers, fire engines, and ambulances to remain available for truly time-critical incidents.
In just its first three months of operation, the city’s initial APU:
Responded to over 130 calls for service Provided Advanced Level of Care to over 60 patients, including advanced diagnostics, behavioral health screenings, and in home safety assessments
Successfully treated in place and discharged over 20 patients on scene, avoiding unnecessary hospital visits
Avoided the use of ambulances over 50 times, keeping units available for the next emergency
Successfully helped place two elderly, high-utilizer patients into long term care to better meet their complex medical needs.
Building on early success metrics, the APU expansion will facilitate a number of positive outcomes for the community, including:
Increased coverage during peak demand periods
Deployment seven days per week, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Improved response options for complex medical and behavioral health calls
Further reduced avoidable ambulance transports and emergency department utilization
Enhanced overall system resiliency across Fire, Police, and EMS operations
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