Pushed to the limit: Alberta first responders experience shortage of ambulances, long delays, and burnout
The union representing Alberta’s paramedics is calling attention to a shortage of ambulances and compounding issues with the provincial EMS system that continue to see response times decrease substantially.
According to the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), the City of Calgary alone is seeing a record number of red alert calls, meaning no ambulances were available to attend an emergency within city limits.
New data shows that in 2018, there were 91,458 seconds (1.059 days) where zero units were made available to respond to a call.
Fast forward to 2020 and that number more than tripled to 342,462 seconds (3.964) under a red alert status.
“This problem didn't start last week or last year, it started when Alberta Health Services (AHS) took over EMS systems across this province and began reducing the number of ambulances over 10 years ago,” said Mike Parker, president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA).
“AHS has never been able to match call volume with resource levels within this province, and that continued pressure, with a five or six per cent call volume increase every year and zero resources being added, puts us 10 years behind.”
Parker added that AHS regularly dispatches the nearest crew to calls at the time of an emergency, but the shortage of ambulances means that some trucks are still a great distance away from their final location.
“AHS will deny that it's a code red because there was an ambulance coming, but it just happened to be coming from 45 kilometers away in Kananaskis, Red Deer or even further so this is the game that's played.”
HSAA says many of its paramedics are now regularly working past their mandated 12 hour shifts with two to upwards of 20 ambulances going unfilled every work day.
The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing opioid crisis is continuing to prompt union representatives like Parker to call on the government for better assistance.
“Someone needs to step in and do the right thing here,” he said.
“It's directly related to the closure of safe consumption sites. We've talked about the COVID impacts and we are now from what I'm seeing, moving our way towards what might be declared the fourth wave this fall. These are all impacts to our healthcare system.”
'STRETCHED THIN': CALGARY FIREFIGHTERS' ASSOCIATION
When paramedics are unable to respond to a major emergency call, firefighters are called in to provide medical support while they wait for an ambulance to arrive.
“Ambulances being delayed mean that we're on scene, providing patient care for longer, and those patients aren't getting to the hospital as fast as they should be,” said Matt Osborne, spokesperson for the Calgary Firefighters’ Association.
“Just the other day for example, a crew was responding to an opioid overdose in downtown Calgary and the closest ambulance was coming from Black Diamond so seconds matter in these situations and its life and death.”
Osborne added that fire crews are reaching a point of exhaustion as they respond to more than 60,000 calls annually, the majority of which are medical-related.
Paramedics and firefighters also regularly work shoulder to shoulder as frontline workers are calling on the province to provide them with the right number of people and resources to fill the gaps.
One of the most frustrating experiences for Osbourne’s team has been the centralization of EMS dispatch in Alberta, which he says is plaguing response times due to direct delay in communication.
“When we used to have a public safety communication dispatch that was for Calgary, you had paramedic dispatchers sitting right beside each other,” Osborne said.
Now, the fire dispatchers need to call to talk to those EMS dispatchers to get the information and the cost of this is people’s lives.”
AHS RESPONDS
Alberta Health Services provided the following statement to CTV News:
"EMS is seeing an unprecedented increase in calls, due to several combined factors including an increase in heat and breathing/smoke-related calls, opioid concerns and emergency calls related to people returning to pre-pandemic-levels of activity. All call types have increased."
"EMS has brought on additional staff and ambulances, is deploying supervisors and delaying some non-urgent transfers. EMS is also working closely with hospital teams to ensure timely flow through our emergency departments. EMS is offering overtime to staff who are willing. EMS staff are working extremely hard to provide timely care to Alberta patients and we thank them for their tireless service."
"EMS operates a provincial, borderless system and while ambulances may be based in a community, they may also assist patients in a wider area. EMS monitors ambulance availability and location in real time and ensures resources are always available to respond to emergencies."
"Anyone who needs EMS care will receive it. We are ensuring that the most critical patients are prioritized for receiving immediate care."
"EMS recommends Albertans evaluate the healthcare options available to them including calling 811 or a family doctor with questions or non-urgent medical issues and using emergency departments or urgent care as needed."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.