As 911 calls increase, WFPS is developing a new five-priority dispatch system

A person injured in an assault, a car accident at a home and a possible overdose were three of the 195 calls for help made to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic 911 communications center while CBC spent time with them last week.

Scott Wilkinson, WFPS deputy chief of emergency operations and training, said the number of calls to emergency services has increased in recent years.

“We have seen a huge, significant increase in all of our calls, including emergency medical calls, fire calls, as well as overall rescue incidents,” Wilkinson said.

The number of calls for firefighters and paramedics is one of the reasons WFPS plans to change the way it dispatches crews.

“The sheer volume of calls is a challenge. “I mean, some of our employees are experiencing burnout because of the volume of calls,” he said. “The problem is the types of phone calls. We are seeing an increase in violence.”

Data from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service shows that in 2018, the number of calls for medical assistance was 81,241. In 2023, the number was 109,558.

Data for 2024 cover the period from January 1 to September 30.

The number of calls related to fires and rescue operations also increased during this time. The data shows that there were 18,966 calls in 2018 and 20,630 in 2023.

The 2024 fire data includes the first 6 months of the year. WFPS said *null reflects reports where the property class is not defined.

Officials say they want to make sure crews are available and can get to critical emergencies or priority calls in less than nine minutes.

Ryan Sneath, deputy chief of paramedic operations and training, said time-sensitive calls such as stroke or heart attack would not change under the new five-priority system.

“So now our call categories are priority one – lights and sirens or priority two – no lights and sirens. Therefore, we will move on to… five categories of priorities,” he said.

The remaining calls will fit into the other four categories based on information that callers provide to those in the WFPS 911 Communications Center.

In other categories, crews will not use lights and sirens to get there, Sneath explained. Some will go to the paramedic at the dispatch center to determine if a team needs to be dispatched or if they can be helped over the phone, he said.

“We’ll probably roll it out early in the new year,” Sneath said.

Some calls are already directed to a paramedic.

“Early estimates, before we implement this, are that paramedics will see about 15,000 cases a year,” he said.

Evidence for a new system

Sneath said data collected over five years helped create a new system that made sure it was using an evidence-based approach. While this type of system is used in other places, he said it will be a game-changer for Winnipeg residents.

“They may not get the traditional response of a vehicle with lights and sirens,” he said. “They will get an answer that will be based on their medical condition when they call.”

Another reason for switching to the new system is to reduce the number of times crews use lights and sirens.

“There has been a lot of research on light-and-siren emergency responses involving emergency vehicles and the associated number of accidents involving those vehicles,” said Fire and Paramedic Chief Christian Schmidt.

“These types of accidents can result in injuries not only to members of the public but also to emergency personnel. In fact, the actions in this direction are twofold. Firstly, to increase efficiency, but also to enable us to deploy our vehicles in a safer way.”

He said the increase in calls to firefighters and paramedics in Winnipeg is due to many factors, including population growth, an aging population, substance use and socioeconomic challenges.

“All of these factors contribute to some of the call volume we see in emergency services,” Schmidt said.

Another change in their response, Schmidt said, is working with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership as outreach workers are better prepared to help.

“Our frontline first responders, both in DCSP and fire rescue, can talk to each other over radio channels about the incidents they are responding to and the people they are there to help,” Schmidt said.

Earlier this month, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said he was wondering what it would take to call an ambulance for mental health help. Schmidt likes this idea.

“It’s these types of programs that will help free up emergency services like paramedics, fire departments and police,” Schmidt said.

“This will ensure access to appropriate resources on the patient side, and in some cases that will be a mental health professional.”

He said it’s important to collaborate and continue working with other partners and agencies in the community to meet Winnipeg’s needs.