Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Recently, Alberta Health Services announced ambulance dispatch services will be consolidated across the province, pulling Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer and Wood Buffalo into existing EMS dispatch centres. Lethbridge Fire Department (LFD) has been providing Ambulance/EMS services to citizens since 1912, and have always been the dispatch service as well. They are currently under contract to AHS EMS to provide the EMS service as well as the Dispatch service. The Dispatch service provides coverage not only to the City of Lethbridge, but many other EMS services in the area. LFD has several concerns with Alberta Health Service Emergency Medical Services decision to remove local EMS dispatch from Lethbridge and move it to Calgary. They feel this will create delays in dispatching of Fire units that also provide Advanced Life Support to our citizens. They also have concerns that AHS EMS provided dispatch will eliminate the City EMS units, leaving the service short of units. As well, a lack of familiarity with this