(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Alessia Proietti

"On the backs of overtime and mental health"

Red Deer Emergency Services requests more staff than budgeted

Nov 30, 2022 | 9:23 AM

There was much conversation during day two of the 2023-24 budget deliberations to determine the right increase of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees for the City of Red Deer’s Emergency Services (RDES).

An FTE is a measure of hours rather than a measure of people. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, one FTE in Emergency Services (ES) equates to 2,080 hours of work.

The discussion began on Monday as administration and city council compared the discrepancies between the requests and budget proposals.

Administration proposed an increase of eight FTE’s over the two years:

• 2023:
  • Four FTEs through ongoing funds adding to $604,000 or 0.43 per cent of the tax increase
  • Four FTEs at $604,000 funded one time through the Operating Reserve Tax Supported (ORTS)
• 2024:
  • Two new FTE’s through ongoing funds adding to $266,000 or 0.19 per cent of the tax increase
  • Four FTE’s funded one time through the ORTS, costing $460,000, assuming it is the same four FTEs from 2023 and therefore not needing additional training and equipment

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A portion of the nearly $6 million increase in ES proposed in the budget for 2023 would also go towards updating the 911 dispatch centre to Next Generation technology, among other upgrades.

The City confirmed that the RDES currently has 222.4 FTEs in dispatching, inspections, mechanics, administrative staff and more, with roughly 160 as frontline firefighter-paramedics who have not had a staff increase since 2016. Yet, they say calls from their 75 communities served have increased by 33 per cent, with the last increase of dispatch workers in 2018.

The City’s Fire Chief Ken McMullen originally submitted a request for 20 FTEs in 2023 consisting of 16 firefighter-paramedics, three dispatch workers and one Deputy Chief , all funded through ongoing funds adding to $2.9 million or 2.08 per cent of the tax increase and one-time costs which would consist of turn out gear, training and uniforms. No additional FTEs were requested in 2024.

“What the budget request in front of you is, is to contemplate our current staffing concerns; it’s not to increase our level of service,” he said. “We have some cracks in our foundation.”

“Folks, I have to tell you, we are maintaining our level of service today only on the backs of overtime and the mental health impacts having on our women and men in the service.”

A letter was written on November 21 by the Red Deer Firefighters Association, requesting 10 firefighter-paramedics in 2023 and 10 in 2024. They said this would enable the department to get their “heads above water for the first time in years”.

“Long term mental health leaves have increased, member retention has become a challenge as we have lost firefighter-paramedics to other departments across Alberta and our concerns for our department are at an all-time high,” wrote President Stephen Belich.

Administration was asked to bring back to council more information regarding current statistics and reasoning.

On Tuesday, McMullen had the opportunity to explain his request. He said the staffing issues began in 2016 when the department had their last requested increase, from 29 to 31 on-shift FTEs for 24-hours per day.

He said in 2021, 1,227 employees worked double shifts which increased to 1,672 in 2022. Out of the 160 FTEs working in Emergency Medical Services, he states each is working 1.1 FTE, with one staff member even working 1.5 FTE, meaning the department would need an additional 16 FTEs to balance the workload.

He says calculations show that an additional 16 firefighter-paramedics hired in 2022 would have offset the overtime costs of over $2 million, with additional $38,985 in savings.

This overtime, he says, has caused many absences due to burnout. For every shift, the department has between nine to 12 members out of the workforce, he says.

McMullen said while he appreciates that he is one of many asks to the City for funding, he says the impact on the mental health of first responders is at jeopardy. He also would like to see all FTEs funded through ongoing funds rather than one-time reserve dollars to ensure stability the following year.

The City said if their original proposal of 10 FTEs were funded through ongoing funds only, the tax on residents would increase by 0.96 per cent or $1,336,000 over the two years.

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES

The City also contracts with Alberta Heath Services (AHS) for their ambulatory services.

City Manager Tara Lodewyk said Red Deer currently receives $7.5 million annually to run five ambulance units.

Their latest contract expiring in March 2023, McMullen says they anticipate AHS to cover a portion for an additional three to five ambulances and roughly 25 FTEs to staff them. Alongside the current $2 million in revenue from third party insurance provider billing, the City expects to add roughly 43 FTEs to emergency services over the upcoming two years.

However, McMullen reiterated that there is no certainty as their relationship with AHS is rapidly changing. He says in the last few months, the City came to an agreement with AHS to add a 12-hour ambulance unit per day starting December 12. He says costs have also drastically gone up since their first contract in 2009 where one ambulance costing $150,000 then, is $300,000 now.

The City will discuss on Wednesday the capital budget which includes the majority of the proposed Fleet Growth Budget towards the purchase of seven ambulances at a cost of $2,450,000.