Southwest will also use the same dispatch system as Salt Lake City Fire. The company will send 14 ambulances to Utah with 7 of them in service at any one time. That means the ambulances will be dedicated to Salt Lake City only, except in cases where the fire department is assisting other agencies.

The ambulances will be equipped with a GPS system.

But Moffitt said Gold Cross ambulances also have GPS and offered in the past to pay the cost of linking up with Salt Lake City's computer system.

Furthermore, a local company like Gold Cross with knowledge of the area should count for a lot, he said.

"We're a little confused and surprised at the way this went," Moffitt said. "We think that we still today are providing better service even if they bring in 14 ambulances."

Freitag said Gold Cross' long years of service in the valley were considered and that the company put on a good proposal, but it wasn't the best proposal.

Gold Cross will continue providing 911 ambulance service to other areas of Salt Lake County but Moffitt said losing an area the size of Salt Lake City will likely result in job cuts. The company currently has over 250 employees and 50 ambulances.

Southwest is promising to station brand new, state of the art ambulances in Salt Lake City.

"We're just very excited to partner with an excellent department," said company spokesman Josh Weiss. "A lot of (the reason for responding to the RFP) was what the fire department was looking for and the relationship they wanted. We only bid on those we think will make a good partner."

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