Mayor Don Scott and Fire Chief Jody Butz are heading to the Alberta Legislature.
The two will defend the municipality’s position against the consolidation of EMS dispatch services.
On Aug 4, Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced it would end local EMS dispatch services for our region, along with Lethbridge, Red Deer, and Calgary.
RELATED: Wood Buffalo first responders call on Alberta to reverse decision on consolidation
The move means that all emergency medical calls will be rerouted to provincial communications centres in Edmonton, Calgary, and Peace River.
According to a 2019 performance review, the move will create a savings of $660,000 per year for our region, a number Butz referred to as marginal as it will cost time and potentially lives.
Both Scott and Butz will meet with Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Minister of Municipal Affairs Tracy Allard on Sept. 24.
The two will be joined by other mayors and fire chiefs from Calgary, Lethbridge, and Red Deer.
Scott said the consolidation would affect the ability to send an extra ambulance when the region’s four are already busy.
“Under the consolidated model, Alberta Health Services would not recognize our integrated service model. AHS would send an ambulance from an outside region – such as Lac La Biche or Boyle, rather dispatching one from our Fort McMurray Fire Halls, where cross-trained fire fighters and paramedics are ready to respond.”
Data shows that 90 per cent of the time, the municipality dispatches an ambulance 48 seconds faster than AHS.
It also shows that the municipality verifies addresses almost 30 seconds faster.
In the first six months of 2020 our local dispatchers received 12,000 calls.
You can express your concern about the consolidation by contacting local MLAs and the Minister of Health.
There is also a draft letter available on the municipality’s website.
