Notice Board

The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) presents a session with former EMT George Porter as he discusses the issue of ambulance service availability in a rural setting.

Is there a Critical Shortage of First Responders in Rural Alberta?

Date:                    Thursday, June 7, 2018
Time:                    Doors open 11:30 a.m., Presentation 12 p.m., buffet lunch 12:30 pm, Q&A 1 – 1:30 p.m.
Location:              Royal Canadian Legion (north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge
Cost:                    $14 buffet lunch with desert & coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

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 service in rural areas is inter-facility transfers, or appointments that draw ambulances out of those communities and sometimes cause 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 occurs in their area?

The speaker will argue this issue puts citizens of Alberta, and especially people in rural areas, at a higher level of risk during times when there are no available resources in these communities. He will further contend that the problem can be easily improved if Alberta Health Services (AHS) would implement common sense recommendations, among them, ambulances spending less time waiting at hospitals.

Speaker:              George Porter

George Porter started working EMS in Calgary in 1974. He worked in urban and rural settings, in fire department-based, hospital-based, industrial, remote, air ambulance, private, indigenous, and he has owned and operated EMS services.

He has managed, directed, repaired and developed a number of EMS services and has taught and mentored students most of his career. He has also taught EMT, Paramedic and a variety of water, ice and rope rescue programs.

George has lobbied EMS management and Alberta Health Services for more than nine years over the lack of adequate area coverage by ambulances, especially in rural areas, offering multiple solutions - all to no avail. He plans to continue to do so until this gross negligence is corrected.

Moderator:         Penny Elford

For more information on the Southern Alberta Council of Public Affairs, visit the SACPA website.