Edmonton firefighters to stop answering some 911 calls
CTV
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services respond to nearly 100,000 emergency calls every year, but most have nothing to do with fire. On April 1, that's going to change.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services respond to nearly 100,000 emergency calls every year, but most have nothing to do with fire.
On April 1, that's going to change.
Starting at the end of the month, EFRS plans to drop medical calls that are not "immediately life-threatening" or "time-critical."
In 2023, close to 70 per cent of the calls Edmonton firefighters responded to were medical calls.
EFRS chief Joe Zatylny claims leaving less-urgent medical matters to paramedics will improve firefighter's response times for people who need help the most.
"Something like a stomach ache, there will still be a response, and we will be there if EMS is not able to respond, but we need to focus on that 'down the street' when somebody needs us the most," Zatylny said.
Over the past five years, Edmonton firefighters have responded to medical calls voluntarily through an agreement with the province.
