Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston said the city remains committed to convincing Alberta Health to return ambulance dispatch to the city.
In a move that caught Red Deer officials by surprise, Alberta Health announced recently that local dispatch would be returned to Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo next year.
Ambulance dispatch centres were removed from Wood Buffalo, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Calgary in early 2021 and centralized out of Edmonton, Calgary and Peace River. All four communities opposed the move and have continued to lobby provincial officials to change their minds.
In announcing the return of ambulance dispatch to Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the province signalled it was making an exception and remains committed to the centralized dispatch model.
“The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is an isolated region, and with its unique geography it makes sense to add a dispatch centre in this area,” said Charlotte Taillon, senior press secretary to Health Minister Adriana LaGrange in an email Wednesday.
The additional dispatch centre is expected to “ease the pressure” on the Calgary, Edmonton and Peace River centres.
Johnston said given the immense size of Wood Buffalo he understands the logic behind the move. However, Red Deer and central Alberta also have a good case on why ambulance dispatch should be returned, he added.
“I’m happy for Wood Buffalo, for sure. They were looking for a regional model versus a central model and one of their primary concerns was their geography,” he said.
“As it relates to Red Deer and Calgary and Lethbridge the issue is one we hope to also get a regional model versus a centralized model. Our fire chiefs tell us that is still a superior model in their view.
“The issue isn’t closed.”
Johnston credits AHS for responding to local concerns by boosting the number of ambulances in Red Deer.
There are now five ambulances available 24 hours and three staggered throughout the day. Ambulance wait times are down and a pilot program is testing other ways to transport patients who do not need to be in the back of an ambulance for transfers between facilities or other journeys.
“All those things are good, but from our end we depend on the expertise of our chiefs and our chiefs are saying that (regional dispatch) makes sense and makes for better service delivery.”
Johnston said he plans to speak in the coming weeks with representatives from Lethbridge and Calgary to discuss next steps.
“The Wood Buffalo change was a surprise to us. I talked to (Red Deer Emergency Services Chief Ken McMullen) and said let’s see where we are now collectively on advocacy.
“Today, we see (regional dispatch) as very much a viable issue.”