Alberta is consolidating all municipally controlled emergency medical dispatch call sites into a move that says it will save cash and patient care, according to a press release issued Tuesday through Alberta Health Services.
The replacement will be at the EMS 911 clearance facility in Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer and Wood Buffalo Regional Township.
AHS has been running a dispatch system for the rest of the province since 2009.
He said consolidation will allow the EMS formula to send the closest ambulance to a patient, regardless of geographic boundaries.
He also said he would save more than $6 million a year.
Authorities said the replacement over the next six months will not be the local dispatch of municipal fire, police and first aid services.
“The provincial EMS dispatch system allows for better co-ordination of all EMS resources, including ground ambulances, and air resources, and reliable response times,” Health Minister Tyler Shandro said in a release Tuesday.
Dr. Verna Yiu, President and CEO of AHS, said consolidation is the right resolution for any Albertan who needs emergency medical care.
Once the transition is complete, EMS calls will be processed through AHS EMS provincial communications centers in Peace River, Edmonton, and Calgary.
IAF Lethbridge Local 237, which represents paramedics and firefighters, said Tuesday that the loss of local emergency rescue service was a severe blow to the city.
The ability of ambulance teams to seek help from firefighters/police will be delayed. This is a massive safety factor for our first responders. When they ask for help, they want it and a time frame is appropriate.
— LethbridgeFireLocal (@IAFFLocal237) August 4, 2020
AHS stated that people calling 911 will freeze any changes.
AHS stated that it planned to rent 25 new emergency communications officials and that existing municipal workers would be encouraged to submit an application.
– With a Kaylen Small record from Global News