Alberta Health Services has officially cut the ribbon on a brand-new EMS facility in Valleyview.
The new facility is located on the Valleyview Health Centre’s campus and is described as a “state-of-the-art” building that was designed to accommodate the growing and changing needs of Valleyview, and surrounding communities.
The building was completed in late 2023 and carried a $4.1 million price tag, which was funded by the Government of Alberta. Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen says the opening of a new station in Valleyview marks a “step in the right direction” for rural healthcare service as a whole.
“I think with rural Alberta, and especially with rural Northern Alberta, our communities are so far apart, EMS is such an important part of health services in this area,” he says. “Having this facility is a great opportunity to make sure that our EMS staff have a place to go to, not just to park the vehicles, but to relax in between calls, I think that’s incredibly important, we know the strains on our EMS, our paramedics, with the things they have to see and deal with on a regular basis.”
EMS North Zone Associate Executive Director Rob Barone spoke on behalf of the paramedics who call Valleyview home, saying while the three-bay station allows for better service to the community, the medical response staff who spend their days in the building see it as much more than a garage.
“It means a lot, any time you work in rural communities as a paramedic, it’s more than a building you park ambulances in,” he says. “For a lot of the paramedics who work around the clock, and who work consecutive days, a facility like this is a home away from home for them.”
Currently, there are two ambulances stationed in Valleyview, with 12 full-time equivalent crew members, which Barone says means faster response times and more efficient service for those in and around the community.
“In terms of response, we’re right on the highway so our egress to get out on the highway, whether it’s going north, or getting out to Highway 43, or going right into the community of Valleyview, it approximates us really well,” he says.
Barone adds that given the new facility’s opening, recruiting efforts are in full swing to ensure staff are available to provide round-the-clock service.
“I hope it’s going to be very comfortable for the paramedics that come through here, and hopefully it works to draw new paramedics to the community,” he says. “Recruiting has been, first and foremost, on the top of our list throughout Alberta Health Services, not only in the North Zone or in Valleyview.”
“We’ve made some huge strides in our recruitment efforts, we have a multi-faceted recruitment campaign that’s international, national, and local, and it’s been very successful, our vacancy rates are going down, we’re seeing more applicants, and it’s good to see.”
Valleyview EMS previously worked out of the town’s fire department facility, and officials who attended the opening ceremony indicated the squad has already settled in at their new home.
