Province's Plan Could Reduce Fire, EMS Capabilities

Lethbridge's dual-trained Fire Fighter- Paramedics are concerned that looming changes to provincial ambulance services, mandated recently by the Alberta Government, will eventually result in the breakup of the city's dual-service emergency services department and lead to reduced response capabilities to both medical emergencies and fires in the city.

On April 1, the Alberta Government is uploading responsibility for the oversight and funding of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the province, a move that creates confusion and uncertainty in fully-integrated fire-EMS departments like that in Lethbridge.

Rob Chollak, President of the Lethbridge Fire Fighter-Paramedics Association, IAFF Local 237, is concerned that the move will eventually lead to a splitting of the current department into two separate departments, a move that would erase almost a century of work that's gone into the development of one of the most efficient and effective fire-based EMS models in North America.

"Fire-based medical response is considered the gold standard across North America, with the best response times and the best patient outcomes, Chollak says. "It's the model that other cities envy. So to risk breaking it up, and losing a system that's served the city well for almost 100 years doesn't make any sense," he said.

"This plan needs to be re-examined and the provincial government needs to know that the citizens of Lethbridge expect and deserve fast and effective response to both fires and medical emergencies, today and in the future."

The Lethbridge Fire Department has operated the city's ambulance service since 1912, and since then it has grown to become one of the most efficient and effective dual-service departments in North America. The training and education of fire-EMS personnel has progressed from basic first aid to full Paramedics with Advanced Life Support (ALS) skills.

In most other Canadian provinces, where cities' fire and ambulance services are totally separate and fire fighters don't have ALS training, ALS-level response by paramedics is commonly 15 to 20 minutes away, compared to four to nine minutes in Lethbridge, Chollak notes. "We may not realize what we've got. But when you look at the facts, we have among the best ALS response anywhere in Canada. Why mess with it?"

Alberta Health has also suggested that ambulance personnel, who are fully-trained fire fighters, will not be used for any other duties except EMS and healthcare, a restriction that would suddenly limit the resources available to the fire department in the event of major fire calls or simultaneous calls in the city.

Chollak notes there are also concerns about changes in dispatch. The City of Lethbridge had been dispatching its own ambulances since 1912, but the provincial government is also taking the ambulance dispatch service away, which means 911 calls for ambulance service will soon be transferred to another dispatcher, probably in another city.

"This could make it quite difficult to determine a correct address or location for where an ambulance is needed," Chollak says. "Someone taking a call in another city may have no idea when it comes to specifying locations, and there could be a significant delay in determining where this location is and which ambulance to send. This is at a time when seconds can mean the difference between life and death."

Yet another major problem is the communication gap that will exist between the ambulance service and fire and police, as their dispatchers will no longer be in the same room, even the same city.

Under the Alberta government's plan, Lethbridge ambulances could be redirected to other Alberta communities if needed, which could double their utilization. This is a major concern, Chollak says, because already there are 150 so-called "Code Reds" - when all available ambulances are busy - every year.

Currently, when a Code Red occurs, Lethbridge's dual-trained fire fighters respond to the call and provide ALS medical care until an ambulance arrives. But with Alberta Health dispatching ambulances, it could become difficult for our fire apparatus to be dispatched promptly and accurately to EMS calls to fill the gap during Code Reds.

"We, the front line workers of this service are very concerned with what may happen to EMS service in our city," Chollak says. "Fire -based EMS is the right choice for the citizens of Lethbridge. We encourage all to help support our mayor and council as they urge our provincial MLAs and the Alberta Government to revisit these plans and ensure they are not needlessly destroying a service that has been saving lives in Lethbridge effectively for almost a century."