New Santa Monica Fire Department Advanced Provider Unit increases efficiency and enhances emergency response
December 11, 2025 10:50 AM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Dec. 11, 2025) — The Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) is proud to announce the launch of its new Advanced Provider Unit (APU), a groundbreaking service designed to expand access to timely medical care, reduce unnecessary ambulance transports, and enhance the city’s overall emergency response system.
The program, which began early mobilizing efforts last month, represents a key milestone in the implementation of the city of Santa Monica’s Realignment Plan, a two-year budget stabilization and renewal effort approved by the Santa Monica City Council in October that focuses on restoring public safety by strengthening essential services.
The APU pairs a nurse practitioner with a firefighter-paramedic to deliver advanced medical assessment, treatment, and follow-up care directly in the field. This innovative model allows patients with non-life-threatening conditions to receive comprehensive evaluation and treatment on scene, often avoiding an emergency department visit while ensuring continuity of care.
“The Advanced Provider Unit is a major step forward in how we serve our community,” Fire Chief Matt Hallock said. “This program reflects our commitment to innovation, compassion and public safety excellence. It brings high-level clinical expertise directly to those who need it most, while keeping lifesaving resources available for critical emergencies.”
As part of the city’s broader Realignment Plan, the APU supports strategic goals to modernize service delivery, increase efficiency, and reinvest resources where they have the greatest impact. By resolving many medical incidents on scene, the APU helps maintain ambulance availability, reduces hospital congestion, and connects vulnerable residents with appropriate services — all while enhancing the city’s resilience during periods of high emergency call volume.
Early activity during the unit’s launch phase has already demonstrated significant community benefit, including several successful “treat-in-place” cases, support for behavioral-health interventions, and rapid access to follow-up resources through coordinated partnerships with local agencies and service providers.
"This is exactly the type of innovative, community-focused solution envisioned in the Realignment Plan," City Manager Oliver Chi said. “As part of the plan’s restoration to public safety, the APU enhances the safety net for our most vulnerable residents and strengthens our emergency response system citywide.”
The Advanced Provider Unit operates Monday through Thursday with plans to expand to seven days per week in the near future and responds to 911 calls citywide. SMFD will continue to monitor performance metrics closely as the program expands, ensuring continued alignment with community needs and city priorities.
For more information about the Santa Monica Fire Department’s Advanced Provider Unit, visit santamonica.gov/advanced-provider-unit.
Media Contact
Patrick Nulty
Battalion Chief
Patrick.Nulty@SMGOV.NET
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