HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-10-129 - Regional EMS Master Plan Dispatch Model Review
REPORT
REPORT TO:
Councillor Weylie and Members of the Development and
Technical Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
June 21, 2010
SUBMITTED BY:
Tim Beckett, Fire Chief (ext 2926)
PREPARED BY:
Tim Beckett, Fire Chief
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
all
DATE OF REPORT: June 10, 2010
REPORT NO.: DTS 10-129
SUBJECT:
Regional EMS Master Plan Dispatch Model Review
RECOMMENDATION:
That support be re-affirmed for the original recommendations of the Dispatch Model
working group presented in their December 2009 report presented to the Regional All
Council Meeting on December 3, 2009;
And that the Fire Chief or designate and members of the Human Resources, Finance and
Legal Divisions, as required, continue to participate in future steps of the regional
emergency dispatch model review;
And that the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care be encouraged to make available to
all municipalities, any beneficial technological solutions identified in the Niagara Pilot
Project due diligence process;
And that the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care continue to be encouraged to
participate in discussion regarding locally appropriate improvements in emergency
service dispatching.
BACKGROUND:
On February 22, 2010 Council supported in principle the Region of Waterloo Emergency
Dispatch Model working group recommendations:
1. Fire Services dispatching should be consolidated into one Fire Communications
Centre co-located with the Waterloo Regional Police Communications Centre.
2. Enhanced technology, including automatic vehicle location for fire services,
electronic linking of Fire and EMS computer aided dispatch systems and pre-alert to
ambulances should be implemented to reduce response times for medical
emergencies. The committee is recommending that the Region and Municipal
governments communicate with the Province regarding these improvements to
community safety.
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3. Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC) should be co-located with
Police and Fire Dispatch Services in the same facility.
Over the past five months, the Working Group has continued to investigate many aspects of the
proposed co-location, specifically around financial implications, labour relations and technology
issues. The Group also took the opportunity to visit the state-of-the-art Niagara Ambulance
Communications Service (the Ministry’s Pilot Project site) to view the proposed technologies in
use.
REPORT:
The Group’s original recommendations around physically co-locating Police and Fire
Communications came out of the Ministry’s refusal to allow technological linking between the
Cambridge Central Ambulance Communications Centre and the regions two Fire
Communications Centres. Physical co-location allowed the same time saving benefit as
technology, providing a manual solution to notifying Fire earlier and enabling a Fire vehicle to
reach the site of a medical emergency one minute and sixteen seconds sooner than was current
practice. The ultimate goal of the recommendation revolved around providing the timeliest
emergency service possible for the Region’s residents and visitors, given conditions being
imposed on us by the Province.
As the Niagara Pilot Project not only reduces Fire response times, but also pre-alerts EMS
crews using technology rather than physical co-location, the Working Group has become
increasingly interested in further assessing whether a similar solution could be implemented in
Waterloo Region. This investigation would allow the Working Group to further review the
financial, labour relations and technical issues of a virtual co-location as opposed to a physical
co-location.
Further study of virtual co-location does not imply that the other potential benefits of physical co-
location identified previously, are in any way less significant, but rather do not directly impact the
primary goal of reducing emergency medical response times. Better co-ordination of major
incidents, opportunities to share technology and common technological support, improved
supervision and delays in future staff enhancements, are all expected benefits of a fully co-
located dispatch model which bears further investigation.
It has become apparent that more research is necessary before a final decision can be made
whether or not to proceed with co-location of Police and Fire, or Police, Fire and EMS.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no financial implications at this time.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: T. Beckett
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