Lethbridge City Council has approved a 2.5-year agreement for emergency medical services with Alberta Health Services.
According to the city, through the new agreement, four ground ambulances will provide EMS services through Lethbridge Fire and Emergency services around the clock. During peak hours this will mean that there will be a total of 10 ambulances each day between noon and 7 p.m. which are considered peak hours.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen says city council is happy to have been able to reach the agreement that continues providing integrated fire and emergency services to the community.
“The new agreement also reduces the amount of municipal tax support required from Lethbridge residents for emergency medical services.”
LFES Chief Greg Adair says though the province’s health care system is going through changes of its own, AHS has been excellent to deal with through the negotiations, and the two organizations are continuing to work together to find solutions which will provide the best long-term care for the community. This new agreement lowers the amount of tax dollars being allocated to the service.
“LFES members care immensely about the work they do and serving our community,” Adair says. “We will continue to adapt to the challenges ahead and find ways to innovate and improve our services for the benefit of Lethbridge residents.”
The new contract replaces the old 2.5-year contract that was set to expire at the end of March.