© Provided by Calgary Herald Mayor Don Scott sits with Regional Fire Chief Jody Butz
during a press conference at the Jubilee Centre in Fort McMurray, Alta. On May 3, 2018.
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council is defying Alberta Health Services and is no longer transferring local calls for EMS services to the province’s dispatch centre.
On Jan. 19, the dispatch system run by Alberta Health Services (AHS) replaced local EMS dispatchers for the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region, as well as Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge. The provincial system is based out of call centres in Calgary, Edmonton and Peace River.
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Mayor Don Scott, who has opposed AHS’ centralization plan since it was announced in August, proposed the motion after fire chief Jody Butz argued the new system is flawed.
“We simply need to take a new approach and that is simply to refuse, and that’s exactly what this does,” said Scott. “This region has been getting the shaft over and over, and now they’re putting people’s health at risk.”
Butz told council that local emergency workers have seen an “obvious degredation of service” in more than 50 incidents, or one-in-four calls.
The LocalHERO medevac service, for instance, has been delayed for remote calls. In two cases, the Anzac Fire Department was not sent to local accidents. In one incident, the accident happened across the street from the homes of several firefighters. In both cases, an ambulance from Fort McMurray took between 30 and 40 minutes to arrive.
Councillor Mike Allen said he would support the motion “right to the bitter end.” Councillor Phil Meagher said it was “undoubtedly” the most important motion he’s supported and called the situation “silly.”
“Obviously they’re not using any part of their brain for this because it just makes common sense,” he said. “If the provincial government wants to write me off of city council they can, but we are certainly in defiance of this and rightfully so.”
Since the province announced that consolidation would be happening last August, Butz, Scott, all municipal councillors, the union representing local firefighters, and First Nation and Métis leaders have protested the provincial system. Council has also offered to pay for a local service.
CAO Jamie Doyle gave his support. He admitted the municipality has an obligation to transfer calls coming in, but said he also has a priority for residents’ health and safety.
“We’ve exhausted, up until now, every reasonable option we had to help show some data and further a conversation that puts the health and safety of our residents at the forefront and it’s gone unheeded,” he said.
Councillor Verna Murphy was concerned about potential lawsuits or legal consequences. Municipal lawyer Chris Davis said this is being researched. The 911 agreement with Telus does not involve AHS, he said. But the dispatch agreement that ended in January has transition requirements, including that the municipality cooperate with AHS.
“If this is the one issue where we need to stand our ground on, no matter the cost, then I’m prepared to do it,” argued Scott.
“It’s time to take a strong stand. We represent the citizens of this region, we have an obligation to protect their health, and let’s do it. Let’s support this motion and tell the province they need to do the same.”
Yao supports councils decision
Tany Yao, UCP MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, is supportive of council’s decision, but is worried about legal repercussions. He also fears this decision could impact funding agreements or requests.
“I admire my municipal colleagues and my former coworkers on this decision,” said Yao, who is a former firefighter and paramedic. “They didn’t receive satisfactory answers from Alberta Health Services and I need to support them.”
Yao also said he was frustrated after hearing about the incidents in Anzac.
“We expect these groups to be transparent and accountable as to what happened, and I never received any answer that gave me confidence,” he said. “It sounds like what I deemed to be a significant error and it happened twice to people outdoors in this weather.”
© Vincent McDermott/Postmedia Network Tany Yao, the MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo.
Laila Goodridge, UCP MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, and a spokesperson for Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro could not be reached for comment. In a Tuesday evening email, AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson said AHS was aware of the motion’s outcome, but had not been given any formal notice from the municipality.
“AHS will do all it can to ensure patients are not put at risk,” he wrote in a brief email.
Darren Sandbeck, chief paramedic and senior provincial director of AHS EMS, said during a media conference last week that dispatch centralization has not caused any delays or negative outcomes. He said 911 calls are handled the same way they were before consolidation and no response plans have changed.
Sandbeck said the snowmobile accident was transferred from Wood Buffalo RCMP, who described it as an “unknown problem.” He said local firefighters would not have been called to that incident.
As for the incident with the tree, Sandbeck said it happened in a “remote, rural location.” He also insisted the cases would have been handled the same way under the old system.
-with reporting from Vincent McDermott
lbeamish@postmedia.com
Laila Goodridge, UCP MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, and a spokesperson for Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro could not be reached for comment. In a Tuesday evening email, AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson said AHS was aware of the motion’s outcome, but had not been given any formal notice from the municipality.
“AHS will do all it can to ensure patients are not put at risk,” he wrote in a brief email.
Darren Sandbeck, chief paramedic and senior provincial director of AHS EMS, said during a media conference last week that dispatch centralization has not caused any delays or negative outcomes. He said 911 calls are handled the same way they were before consolidation and no response plans have changed.
Sandbeck said the snowmobile accident was transferred from Wood Buffalo RCMP, who described it as an “unknown problem.” He said local firefighters would not have been called to that incident.
As for the incident with the tree, Sandbeck said it happened in a “remote, rural location.” He also insisted the cases would have been handled the same way under the old system.
-with reporting from Vincent McDermott
lbeamish@postmedia.com
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