Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Ambulance service in Alberta is a borderless system designed to respond as needed, with urban areas using rural ambulances during shortages, and in turn helping those communities when shortages occur. However, that system is problematic as rural areas potentially can go for hours without proper emergency services. One of the primary reasons for lack of ambulance services in rural areas are inter-facility transfers or appointments that draw ambulances out of those communities and sometimes causing long waits for ambulance service during emergencies. Why for example are non-emergency routine patient transfers tying up rural ambulances for hours when such transport could safely be provided by regular transport, while such ambulances may be needed if a serious emergency occur in their area? The speaker will argue this issue puts the citizens of Alberta and especially people in rural areas at a higher level of risk during those times when there are no available resources in these communities. He will further con