Cochrane town council has supported an emergent resolution by the Town of Okotoks calling for the province to work with municipalities to improve the delivery and performance of the ambulance service.

The town is also asking that municipalities be compensated for the role they play in supporting the provincial health care system, largely through their fire departments.

Okotoks officials are asking for the resolution to be presented to the delegates at the November convention of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Assoc. (AUMA). Eight other Calgary area municipalities have also provided letters of support.

Town councillor Alex Reed made the motion to provide the letter that was supported unanimously by council.

"It's kind of ironic that it was at the start of my term on council that I had raised the concern, and four years later we're still trying to deal with it," said Reed.

The issue is not new to the AUMA. Last fall it requested more information on the impact on response times when Alberta Health Services consolidating its EMS 911 dispatch centres. It expressed extreme disappointment and frustration in the lack of consultation with municipalities.

"Albertans will measure the success of this change not by the dollars saved, but by any changes to EMS services and response times," stated AUMA president Barry Morishita. "We urge the Minister of Health to rethink this decision and keep EMS dispatch located in the communities."

Mayor Jeff Genung says he has had discussions with Okotoks officials and raised the issue at a recent Mid-Sized City Mayors Caucus meeting.

"Other mayors are echoing similar frustrations and stories coming out of their communities," he says.

Genung was disappointed with a response received to a letter requesting a meeting with Health minister Tyler Shandro. He was told he would be engaged on the issue in the coming months and found the response lukewarm.

"That was not the answer I was looking for, so I'm looking to connect with other officials in AHS, including the EMS and ambulance coordinators for our area, and get some understanding of what's going on."

He says there have been a growing number of posts by residents on their experiences and concerns about ambulance coverage.

"I would suggest, where there's smoke, sometimes there's fire."

Several grassroots citizens' action committees have been formed in the Calgary region, including Cochrane. Their formation followed a series of town hall meetings organized by a handful of veteran paramedics who believe rural ambulances must stay in their home communities to serve their residents.

The local committee has held two meetings so far.

Mayor Genung is on that committee as well as town councillor Marni Fedeyko.

Fedeyko went public in July with her concerns and suggested possible solutions to help improve the situation. She also believes there is merit in coming together with the other action committees to become a larger voice.

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