(rdnewsNOW/Troy Gillard)

By Josh Hall

taking a shot

City offers to pick up full cost to keep ambulance dispatch

Dec 7, 2020 | 8:41 PM

The City of Red Deer and three other municipalities have asked Premier Jason Kenney to consider allowing them to take over their respective emergency ambulance dispatch services.

The request comes after a long battle with the provincial government over a decision by Alberta Health Services to consolidate dispatch for Red Deer, Calgary, Wood Buffalo and Lethbridge to three provincially-operated regional centres.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro has remained steadfast in his stance to not overturn the AHS action.

The City of Red Deer is so convinced that consolidation would harm patient outcomes, it is proposing to assume the entire cost of maintaining municipally-run ambulance dispatch.

At Monday’s meeting, council approved one-time funding of $722,800 for 2022 to maintain dispatch services, plus $477,200 for 2021 and 2022 to cover the incremental cost of funding emergency ambulance dispatch should the province agree to the proposal.

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The City of Red Deer currently sees $1.2 million annually from Alberta Health Services to operate local ambulance dispatch through the local emergency communications centre. Consolidated ambulance dispatch would result in the loss of that revenue for The City and end its ability to integrate dispatch, a release states.

Mayor Tara Veer said the City formally submitted a request to meet with the premier about this matter 10 days ago, but has not heard back.

“City council remains extremely concerned that the decision by the Province of Alberta to consolidate ambulance dispatch will mean the degradation of emergency patient care for citizens in Red Deer and Central Alberta, as the current municipal model provides the best possible patient outcomes,” said Veer. “If the Province won’t consider reversing this decision, then we are prepared to fund ambulance dispatch locally in an effort to protect the health and wellbeing of Red Deerians. The City has been providing FireMedic services to AHS at no cost for a number of years, a value worth $2.15 million in 2019 alone. Council remains committed to a zero per cent property tax increase in 2021 and 2022.”

Chief of Red Deer Emergency Services and deputy general manager of the City’s Development and Protective Services division, Ken McMullen, says the City is extremely concerned that not only will patients be more at risk with consolidation, but first responders as well.

“Fire and ambulance dispatchers will no longer be in the same room, communicating safety and patient information in real time,” said McMullen. “The City’s proposal to fund ambulance dispatch locally means our operations at Red Deer’s accredited 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Centre would remain the same, and residents will see no delay in response times from Red Deer Emergency Services.”

Consolidation is scheduled to come into effect on Jan. 12, 2021.