OTHER OPTIONS At least one ambulance company, Orange County-based Care Ambulance, is interested in serving the Inland Empire. "All of the major ambulance service providers would undoubtedly be interested in submitting proposals to Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including Care," Bob Barry, Care's director of business development, wrote in an email. Santa Clara and Alameda counties recently dropped AMR in favor of other companies after putting their ambulance contracts out to bid. Michael Petrie, director of Santa Clara's emergency medical services agency, said his county went with Rural Metro in 2011 because it offered a better overall package than AMR. "The contract set new standards, higher standards (such as stricter response times) and Rural Metro is meeting those standards," he said. Tom Lynch, acting emergency medical services director for Alameda County, said price was only one factor in his county's decision last year to go with Paramedics Plus instead of AMR.