TREENA MIELKE/Rimbey Review
A sales transaction between the town and a private ambulance company that began several weeks ago has been finalized.
As of Aug. 1, Rimbey Ambulance Service has been purchased for approximately $449,000 by Associated Ambulance & Service (Whitecourt) Ltd.
Council accepted an offer to purchase the service from Associated at a special meeting May 4.
However, the transaction could not move forward until the development of a transfer plan was completed.
Goode said Associated bought the ambulance service including ambulances, the emergency building and equipment. The seven full-time emergency medical technicians have all been offered employment with Associated.
Goode said the transaction was a good move for the town.
“If Alberta Health would have taken it over they would have only given us $1 for all the assets, so this is definitely a good deal.”
Mayor Sheldon Ibbotson is glad to see the deal completed.
“Financially it’s a good move and there is a plan in place to ensure the level of service continues. That was part of Alberta Health Service’s conditions before they would approve the sale.”
Paul Kennedy, director of operations for Associated Ambulance Service (Whitecourt) Ltd. said residents will notice no change in the high level of service they are used to with Rimbey Ambulance.
“We are not changing the system at all. The only thing we are changing is the crests (on the uniforms).
Kennedy said Associated now owns 13 ambulance services in Alberta.
“We look forward to providing the same high quality of service in Rimbey as we provide in other communities in the province to Alberta Health Services,” he said.
Darren Sandbeck, executive director of Calgary Central Zone for EMS Operations for Alberta Health Services, said Rimbey was the first community to propose to sell their ambulance service to another provider.
Other communities who have terminated their ambulance agreements have simply turned the service back to the province.