The EMS Safeline, a grassroots advocacy group for paramedicine intends to hold rolling vigils in municipalities surrounding Calgary and Edmonton to acknowledge the communities hit hardest by an ongoing Emergency Medical Services crisis. The Safeline wishes to honour and give space to families & citizens whose loved ones died or were irrevocably injured due to delays in ambulance responses.
“Those who have suffered unbearable loss due to the EMS crisis should be given the opportunity to tell their stories of how their lives have been changed,” says Ali Morrison, who began her EMS advocacy work three and a half years ago. Morrison’s involvement started after reaching out to Ryan Middleton, a paramedic who made regional waves when he began speaking out about performance issues including EMS staffing and response times in many suburban communities. In stark contrast to Alberta Health Services narratives in the press, Freedom of Information Act data suggested critical performance benchmarks eroding or being ignored. This prompted Morrison to knock on thousands of doors, collecting the signatures she would later deliver to her MLA. She later set up the Safeline to provide an outlet for current and former paramedics to confidentially report instances of abuse, employment and human rights violations and every day working conditions in the hopes that the volume of human-interest stories would prompt industry-wide changes in Alberta.
Morrison and Middleton set up meetings with stakeholders including MLAs Angela Pitt (UCP Airdrie-East), Peter Guthrie (UCP Airdrie-Cochrane), the Secretary for EMS Reform RJ Sigurdson (UCP, Highwood). Making their way up the chain to Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange, the two presented data from both FOIP documents and frontline experience.
“Medics’ stories are horrific,” says Morrison. “I know of no other employees in any government agency or company that would be expected to do what these men and women do, day after day, fearing reprisal if they speak out.”
Armed with data detailing challenges with unstaffed ambulances, egregious response times, and a profession rife with injuries sustained in the workplace, Ali says, “We delivered thousands of signatures, we met with Adriana LaGrange, showed them the current data and told them what a twelve- hour shift looked like. They all promised to meet us again. Nothing – nothing came from this”.
Today, the EMS Safeline is reaching out to communities, promising to listen to those affected and to raise awareness while honouring those who have suffered, both patients and paramedics.
Safeline is inviting any who have suffered due to lack of an ambulance in their community to share their stories and honour their loved ones. Paramedics who are seeking a voice unaffiliated with Alberta Health Services are also invited ( this will be confidential) to join and connect with the communities they are trying to serve.
MLAs and community leaders will also be invited to hear those who are suffering in their communities.
“We really want a gathering where communities can tell their stories, and come together for support.”
If anyone wishes to report a situation, or would like more information on the vigils in any locations they can contact:
emssafeline@gmail.com
Phone or Text: 403.688.
