Essex-Windsor EMS will roll out a new dispatch system next month.
Starting September 16, calls for an ambulance in Windsor-Essex will be handled by a new Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS).
"MPDS is designed with one clear purpose: to make sure that people experiencing life‑threatening emergencies receive help as quickly as possible," said Chief Justin Lammers. "It helps ensure that someone who is experiencing an urgent or life-threatening event receives an ambulance ahead of someone dealing with a non-urgent, non-life-threatening injury."
The MPDS is a software-based system that triages 911 calls based on call severity.
The system includes the ability for dispatchers to ask callers additional questions to determine the severity of the incident.
Lammers did acknowledge that those with less serious complaints will have to wait longer for an ambulance under the new system.
"This isn’t a flaw in the system. It’s the system working exactly as intended to protect lives and preserve critical paramedic resources for the people who need them most," said Lammers.
Complete information on Essex-Windsor EMS' new MPDS can be found on Essex County's official website.
