Central Ambulance Communication Centre
Central Ambulance Communications Centres (CACCs) across Ontario are expected to dispatch ambulance crews within two minutes for emergency cases.
CACCs are mission critical, technologically complex workplaces providing the initial access point to Ontario’s emergency health services system for victims of illness or injury.
Ambulance service in Ontario is a seamless program that responds to requests for service and transports patients across municipal boundaries without reference to residence or other demographic factors.
The area of coverage is over 70 000 sq kms which is the the entire Algoma District.
- CACC handles over 25,000 calls for service each year
- CACC dispatches 15 ambulances, 11 fire departments and 7 first response teams in the Algoma District
CACC employs 12 full time union staff, 10 part time union staff, one part time admin staff, a manager and an operations/liaison person.
Patient resources – Ambulance Communications Officers take the call, get address and patient information and provide pre-arrival first aid instructions to all callers.
Research and teaching – Information is often provided to SAH Base Hospital Program to further research programs undertaken by them (e.g. termination of resuscitation).
The Role of CACC
- Communications Officers receive 911, emergency and non emergency requests for ambulance services, determine the required level of response and provide seamless ambulance dispatching services using the resources provided by the ambulance service operators;
- To provide timely and accurate telecommunications services to callers, ambulance service providers and other emergency health services system stakeholders.
- Provincial Policies and Procedures established by the Emergency Health Services Branch, Local Policies and Practices established by UTM’s;
- Ambulance Act, Coroner’s Act, Mental Health Act, Highway and Traffic Act, Fire Services Act, Regulated Health Professions Act, Privacy Legislation;
- Provincial Standard Operating Procedures – Computer Assisted Dispatch, Fleet Net Radio System.
