Associated Ambulance set to move into new station

Associated Ambulance is to move from the Emergency Response Centre to a new building this summer.

The move is likely to take place in July and means the Town of Barrhead’s ERC will lose $3,000 a month in rent.

Currently, the ambulance service and fire department share the centre at the industrial park.

At last Monday’s meeting, Barrhead Town Council briefly discussed the issue.

Coun. Don Smith, chairperson of Barrhead Fire Services Committee, said the municipality would have to absorb the rent revenue loss.

Coun. Roy Ulmer wondered whether the fire services had a need for extra space at the ERC.

Smith believed that the service could use it for accommodating smaller size vehicles.

According to minutes for the fire services committee meeting on April 24, Fire Chief John Whittaker said his organization was growing and should occupy the whole of the ERC.

The minutes stated that Whittaker had received no interest from groups that would require space. Coun. Darrell Troock moved that the fire services occupy the entire ERC.

Last week, Town councillors accepted this recommendation of the fire services committee.

Associated Ambulance, which has a base in Mayerthorpe, started running the Barrhead service on April 1 after the town council divested itself of the responsibility.

It also took on responsibility for ambulance services in Westlock, Rocky Mountain House, Silver Lake, Ma-Me-O Beach, Hinton and Edson.

This was in addition to services it already operates in such communities as Mayerthorpe, Athabasca, Boyle, Whitecourt, Drayton Valley, Lac La Biche and Thorhild, among others.

Last year, Associated Ambulance’s chief executive officer Terry Schueler said Barrhead had outgrown the current station, which was not big enough for a back-up ambulance needed when frontline vehicles were out of action. A new station would also provide proper facilities for staff, including a kitchen.

Construction on the new station at the industrial park began on Dec. 7 2012, with a completion date at the end of June or in the first two weeks of July.

Last Friday, Schueler said the building would include normal amenities, including rest areas, an exercise room and kitchen.

He added that the transition in ambulance operations in Barrhead had gone extremely well.

“The Barrhead EMS personnel are a phenomenal group of people,” he said. “There are fantastic people living in the community.”