Provincial EMS dispatch centre re-established in Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) have officially opened a provincial EMS dispatch call centre, bringing it online today.

This announcement reflects months of collaborative efforts and a growing partnership between the municipality and AHS. In April, a new five-year agreement was reached for continued municipal delivery of ground ambulance services in the region.

With the handover of emergency medical calls, the RMWB dispatch centre will again respond to the unique geography and needs of northeastern Alberta while providing more capacity within the provincial dispatch system.

"Today is a great day and another step in the right direction for community resilience for the people that live and work here. We remain tremendously appreciative of the incredible work of our emergency responders across the region and are encouraged by this strengthened partnership with the Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services for EMS dispatch."

• Sandy Bowman, Mayor, Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

"We are thankful to have our dedicated and capable dispatchers again providing this critical service. In a region as large and unique as ours, local knowledge is key for quick and effective dispatch of emergency resources."

• Jody Butz, Regional Fire Chief

"Returning dispatch to RMWB emergency services while continuing to work with the EMS provincial program is a logical decision that will enable a more efficient response.

• Tany Yao, MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo

"The new EMS dispatch centre will help to serve outlying residents, remote communities and industrial sites, bringing the best care and contributing to the provision of quality emergency services."

• Brian Jean, MLA for Fort McMurray- Lac La Biche

"Patient care is at the core of every decision we make. This includes our approach to dispatching of EMS services across Alberta. Regardless of where the dispatch centre is located, AHS will collaborate with the municipality to ensure patients are provided seamless access to emergency medical care."

• Murray Crawford, Interim EMS Senior Provincial Director, AHS

To maintain high standards of care, RMWB staff will use AHS's Computer-Aided Dispatching (CAD) technology and telecommunications equipment installed at their facility in Fort McMurray. By using the common technology used in the rest EMS Dispatch System, AHS is able to answer overflow EMS 9-1-1 calls to the RMWB that they are unable to answer.

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