July 28, 2010
(Red Deer, Alberta) – The City of Red Deer is continuing to the final phase of its transition from nine to five ground service ambulance units as contracted and funded by Alberta Health Services (AHS), effective August 1, 2010.
During June and July of 2010, The City moved from providing nine ambulances down to seven, and this final phase will have The City providing the contracted total of five ambulances. In Red Deer, ambulances are staffed by the Emergency Services department’s firemedics, who are trained and certified as both firefighters and registered paramedics.
“We have phased in this transition to minimize the impact to our community and to give the province the opportunity to transition and monitor the service delivery under the contract,” said Jack MacDonald, Emergency Services Manager with The City. “Providing the extra ambulance units was felt to be an important step during the early stages of the changeover to AHS governance, and moving to the contracted five ambulances will help AHS assess their established service levels and their goal of no degradation in service to our community.”
Alberta Health Services took over responsibility for all ambulance service within the province in April 2009, leaving The City under contract with the province rather than independently providing ambulance services in and around Red Deer. The City’s contract with AHS is to provide five front line ambulance units and crews, and until now has been providing additional ambulance units and crews outside of the contract without provincial funding.
The AHS model for ambulance service delivery is regional, with resources from neighbouring municipalities supporting ambulance needs in Red Deer when, and if, demand exceeds the contracted total of five ambulances. Resources from Red Deer would provide that same support to other municipalities as needed.
“One of the benefits to being a provincial service is the opportunity to assist neighboring communities when there is a need,” said Sue Conroy, Senior Vice President, EMS, Alberta Health Services. “We will continue to work closely with Red Deer Emergency Services to ensure appropriate ambulance resources are available at all times.”
After this final transition phase on August 1, The City’s Emergency Services department plans to continue its practice of co-responding with a fire engine to the more serious incidents in the city. These Advance Life Support (ALS) engines are crewed with the same emergency medical personnel used in The City’s ambulances.
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For more information, please contact:
Jack MacDonald Paul Goranson
Emergency Services Manager Development Service Director
The City of Red Deer The City of Red Deer
403-356-2455 403-342-8162
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