Renewed calls for Alberta EMS dispatch system as people complain about response times
Posted Jun 8, 2022 5:39 pm.
Last Updated Jun 8, 2022 5:42 pm.
As more people share horror stories about how long they’ve had to wait for paramedics in Alberta, there are renewed calls to revert the way dispatching works.
“EMS needs a good look at what is happening, we need to do better for Calgarians,” Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Wednesday.
Last year, the government centralized EMS dispatch, which many blame for delayed response times.
Related Article: Alberta to alleviate pressure as paramedics say they’re overwhelmed and understaffed
Then-Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi was among those extremely opposed to the idea, along with mayors from other municipalities, including Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Wood Buffalo.
On social media, Nenshi says it’s time to admit the EMS system is broken and that people are dying.
He’s calling for accountability and to revert to the old EMS dispatching system that was run by cities rather than Alberta Health Services.
It's time to admit the EMS system is broken and people are dying. No more excuses, no more misdirection. It's time for accountability. From AHS and from the Government of Alberta. Those poor neighbours. They could have driven her i in 10 mins but they had faith in EMS arrival. https://t.co/3Wm5XUtB59
— Naheed Nenshi (@nenshi) June 8, 2022
“Previous council was incredibly concerned that the dispatch system and the way EMS would go about its service was going to be compromised when it was removed from the hands of a city that was recognized for world-class standards,” Gondek said.
“We’re seeing all kinds of things happening with wait times right now. Our Calgary fire department partners will tell you that they’re generally first on scene and they have to manage situations that they should not be managing on their own.”
Waited an hour and a half for an ambulance in Calgary, Saturday afternoon. A wait that necessitated a fire engine and crew being unavailable for service as they were at our house monitoring a patient. Transporting patient by fire truck themselves was even considered.
— Steve_P (@Scouse1947) May 30, 2022
Another person on Twitter says he waited an hour and a half for an ambulance in Calgary.
It was so long, that he says the fire truck which showed up to provide support, considered transporting the patient to the hospital using their fire engine instead of waiting for an ambulance.
Related Article: Calgary EMS took 30 minutes to respond to dog attack victim: AHS
Meanwhile, Health Minister Jason Copping’s office tells CityNews that response times aren’t determined by whether the EMS dispatcher is an AHS employee or a city employee.
