Paramedics Plus announces new COO in Alameda County

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (April 12, 2018) – Paramedics Plus, the exclusive 911 ambulance service provider for Alameda County, has hired Rob Lawrence as its chief operating officer. Lawrence will oversee the organization’s daily operations and 450 local employees.

Lawrence brings more than 26 years of emergency medical services (EMS) experience to Paramedics Plus. Most recently, Lawrence was the chief operating officer for the Richmond Ambulance Authority, which won both state and national EMS Agency of the Year awards during his nine-year tenure.

“Rob brings many talents and an outstanding background in EMS to our team,” said Ron Schwartz, president of Paramedics Plus. “His experience will benefit the patients we serve and our employees in Alameda County.”

Prior to the Richmond Ambulance Authority, he worked as the chief operating officer for the East of England Ambulance Service in Suffolk County, England, and as the executive director of operations and service development for East Anglian Ambulance in England. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and served in the British Army.

“In addition to his deep experience with high performance EMS systems, Rob has been a tireless advocate for our industry and for public safety.” said Mark Postma, vice president of Paramedics Plus. “We look forward to continuing his great work in advancing the EMS profession.”

Lawrence has long advocated for injury prevention and public health programs. He introduced the Rider Alert Motorcycle Safety program to the U.S., which won the EMS10 Award from the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) and the World Motorcycle Safety Award from the Federation of International Motorcyclists. He has also led programs in Richmond to proliferate CPR training, and the funding and introduction of “Stop the Bleed” equipment into every Richmond public school.

Lawrence currently serves as vice chair of the American Ambulance Association’s Communications Task Force. He’s also the chair of the Prehospital and EMS Committee for the Pan American Trauma Society and, over the last five years, has been involved in performance improvement and trauma system development projects for several South American countries.

He’s an accomplished writer and serves as a member of the editorial boards of the Pan American Trauma Journal and EMS World Magazine. Lawrence also hosts EMS World’s “Word on the Street” podcast, which includes interviews with EMS industry leaders.

Lawrence is also an internationally known speaker on EMS operations and the delivery of prehospital medical care, and he is an affiliate faculty with Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Health Administration.

Paramedics Plus was previously known as East Texas Medical Center. The company was acquired by A&M Capital Partners, LP, a middle-market private equity fund that is part of the A&M Capital Platform.

About Paramedics Plus: Alameda County

Paramedics Plus is the 911 ambulance transport service for Alameda County, California. The organization employs more than 450 local residents and responds to approximately 146,000 calls per year. Highly accredited, Paramedics Plus utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and software, and is an innovator in industry’s best practices.