In a conversation with Air 106.1, Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt expressed her opinion of the current 'Code Red Crisis' Airdrie is facing.

After Air 106.1 reported the story of Beth Neufeld who waited up to an hour and a half for EMS treatment, many current and former EMS workers contacted us with their concerns about the 'Code Red Crisis' Airdrie and the province is facing and reinforced the seriousness of the matter. 

According to Pitt, this problem is not new and will continue to worsen unless changes are made.

"Heres the thing we have been hearing for quite a while now, that Airdrie is constantly under code red. Code red meaning there are no ambulances here. In a first world country where we are being told that we have first class and world-class health care, yet when you are in a crisis situation and call an ambulance its not coming."

Pitt says it's an issue the UCP has repeatedly raised with the Minister of Health in the legislature.

"She has assured us that there are more resources on the ground and results are being seen but that's not the case. We know despite what the health minister wants to believe and despite the data, Airdrie and most of the province are constantly under code red, we know this and yet we are not seeing action being taken by our minister and it is disgusting." 

Pitt also says that Airdrie is supposed to have a set amount of ambulances but she believes Airdrie is not the priority when calls come in. 

"If Calgary needs an ambulance and Airdrie has one here, it's going to come from Airdrie. My understanding from dispatch is that Calgary is the priority, sometimes we have had our ambulances in High River and even at times in Lethbridge." 

Pitt says Airdrionions have paid a lot of money for this service and she doesn't think that there is anyone out there that doesn't expect an ambulance arrive when they call 911.

"The reality is they are not there and this is a crisis situation. Unfortunately, there are people that have died and these are families that are not going to make a stink because they have lost a loved one and are in the grieving process." 

According to Pitt, multiple front-line workers have spoken to her about this problem. 

Since Air 106.1 FM covered the incident involving Beth Neufeld and her hour and a half wait time, we have received multiple emails from front-line workers echoing the same issues and standpoints as Pitt.

Pitt believes that the data and statistics being reported on staff and ambulance services don't add up.

"We know that the reporting of statistics are not accurate, our front-line ambulance workers know this; these are the guys that know that no ambulances are available and yet they say that the data is not accurately being reported. This is a crisis situation and people are right to be angry."

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