Alberta takes ambulance dispatch from cities after years-long dispute with Calgary

[VE6RSU2]

From CBC News:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-ambulance-dispatch-calgary-lethbridge-red-deer-wood-buffalo-1.5673943

Not sure how this will effect AFRRCS talkroups - if at all?

 

[mciupa]

I've edited your post with a link to the article. The reason being is due to copyright.

Thanks for stating the source and for adding your comment though, those things are permitted on the forum. Lengthy verbatim cut and paste posts are not permitted.

 

[harryshute]

I guess for a start those 4 groups of 15 channels will disappear and can be used for something else. Is there a date for the transition? Bad news for those communities but I had a feeling it was coming. We may hear in the clear those communities updating their dispatchers where they are going on an AHS call. Sort of like in Edmonton where they are in the clear on Fire and Strathcona the EMS units update local dispatch where they are going. Maybe lots more use of the MA channels.

 

[kayn1n32008]

This consolidation isn’t going to be ‘bad’, and people won’t die. This is much ado about nothing. Believe me, I have a deep seated hate for our current government, especially the Health minister.

BC has 3 ground ambulance dispatch centres for the entire province, Plus a province wide air ambulance dispatch centre.

Kamloops dispatch covers an area that is probably the size of Alberta. It’s been this way since I was a kid.

If you are in Pink Mountain, Prince Rupert, Penticton, Bella Coola, Dawson Creek, Prince George, Golden or Fernie, and you need an ambulance, you will be talking to a BCAS call taker in Kamloops. Basically outside of the Fraser Valley up to Pemberton, the Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, and you are talking to a call taker in Kamloops.

The world won’t end, and an ambulance will still get to you in the same amount of time.

Hell, anyone think the AHS call taker that took my call on Christmas Day for my son has a clue about where or how to get an ambulance to me when they are a 4.5h drive away? The vast majority of this province is already consolidated into 3 dispatch centres. This simply finishes it.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I guess for a start those 4 groups of 15 channels will disappear and can be used for something else.

I doubt anything will change with respect to the metro radio zones. The field units will probably still be using them just as they are today.

We may hear in the clear those communities updating their dispatchers where they are going on an AHS call. Sort of like in Edmonton where they are in the clear on Fire and Strathcona the EMS units update local dispatch where they are going. Maybe lots more use of the MA channels.

I doubt much will change at all. My bet is radio usage won’t change much.

 

[harryshute]

So if we cut down to NCC, CCC and SCC why keep Wood Buffalo, Red Deer, Calgary Metro and Lethbridge Dispatch zones? Those 60 groups including 16 MA groups will be gone. 25 new AHS dispatchers will be hired most likely in NCC and SCC. All in the next six months,

 

[kayn1n32008]

I can see getting rid of MDWB, Red Deer and Lethbridge zones, and keeping the Calgary zone. Would depend on what the projected talkgroup loading is by eliminating 4 zones.

 

[harryshute]

Don’t think so. CCC does Edmonton without a separate zone. The real crunch will be going from 16 MA channels to 4 in SCC. Maximum talk group loading per dispatch zone is 15.

 

[kayn1n32008]

I meant projected number of PTT’s per talkgroup if they eliminate the metro zones, not number of talkgroups per zone.