Public Safety Communications Centre begins fire dispatch for Blood Tribe Emergency Services

Photo: Kevin McKeown, Deputy Chief of Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services, shakes hands with Travis Coleman, Fire Chief of Blood Tribe Emergency Services, reinforcing the strong partnership between the two organizations.

Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES) Public Safety Communications Centre (PSCC) is proud to announce that it is now providing fire dispatch services for the Blood Tribe Emergency Services (BTES). This partnership strengthens LFES' longstanding relationship with the Blood Tribe and marks a significant regional emergency services collaboration milestone. 

The PSCC, which handles over 138,000 emergency calls annually for 22 agencies across Southwestern Alberta, has provided 9-1-1 call-taking services to the Blood Tribe for many years. This new arrangement integrates fire dispatch services, enhancing emergency response capabilities and ensuring seamless communication during critical fire incidents for the Blood Tribe community. 

“Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services is honoured to support the Blood Tribe Fire Services through this expanded partnership,” says Kevin McKeown, Deputy Chief of Strategy and Communications with LFES. “This milestone reflects our mutual commitment to ensuring the highest standard of public safety for our communities.”

“The Blood Tribe is pleased to work with the PSCC,” says Travis Coleman, Fire Chief with BTES. “This collaboration has already improved our department’s communication capabilities internally and with our mutual aid agencies.”

“This partnership between the Blood Tribe and PSCC represents a step forward in enhancing the safety and well-being of our community,” says Derrick Fox, Chief Executive Officer of the Blood Tribe Department of Health. “This will help support faster and more coordinated responses to emergencies.”

“We are grateful for the trust placed in us and look forward to building on this strong relationship,” says Joel McDonald, Deputy Chief of Public Safety and Communications Centre. “As calls are received, our Emergency Communications Officers will do call evaluations and provide dispatch support to fire crews. This enhances our region’s emergency services interoperability.” 

The partnership was developed with careful coordination between LFES and the BTES to ensure operational readiness and alignment with Blood Tribe response protocols. 

The addition of the BTES further solidifies the PSCC’s role as a vital hub for regional emergency response, ensuring prompt and professional service delivery to diverse communities. 

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