For the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) in Alberta (Canada), this 2024 holiday season has been a special one. Our center hosted our first combined Christmas party, joining 911 dispatchers, administration, and EMS staff for the holiday event.
This idea began as a few jokes between 911 dispatchers and EMS staff about being invited to each other’s parties, which led to questioning “Why not?” and making it happen.
Staff on each side voted unanimously to combine parties and then formed a small party committee with representatives from each group: 911 Dispatcher Lauri Vasseur, Equipment and Fleet Coordinator Derek Cote, Primary Care Paramedic Hannah Quewezance, EMS Staff Member Shelby Van Berkel, and 911 Dispatcher Victoria Guettinger.
"The party will mix EMS staff with people who don't usually engage with 911 dispatch,” Quewezance said. “We will be mixing up tables, playing party games like musical chairs, and even dancing."
Van Berkel also volunteered to create a short slideshow highlighting photos of the staff’s professional and personal memories from the year. "It will be a good conversation piece," said 911 Dispatcher Jackson Kjenner.
Using the Microsoft Teams app, the team of five party planners coordinated meetings despite living in different cities and working different schedules. They tackled reserving a venue, selecting an accommodating catering menu with healthy options, determining business casual attire, and brainstorming how to give this year’s party a distinct and unified feeling of coming together.
The guests (along with spouses or partners) included 27 members from EMS, 19 members from 911 dispatch, and 10 members from administration. The connection among these groups was already friendly and has grown from interactions at community events like open houses and BBQs.
"The more we are together, the better rapport we have, the more we feel we are working as a team for the same organization," Quewezance said. “This is better for everyone.”
Vasseur believes the party was a way to encourage people to get to know one another better with the opportunity to stick around and socialize after the event. "We started to get to know the EMS staff from out of town because they walk by our door upstairs,” Vasseur said. “But this will allow us to meet more of the local staff (downstairs) as well."
Planning the Christmas party required everyone to pitch in with ideas and encouragement. Early on in the preparation, Quewezance accidentally sent an email to everyone stating that the party was starting in 30 minutes, though she laughed over the blunder that just piqued interest in the upcoming plans.
Of course, covering the emergency services was still essential, so some staff volunteered to cover as 911 dispatch, EMS, or designated drivers during the party.
BRFA hopes the combined holiday event is just the beginning of a more connected workplace, which will be important in preparation for their larger workspace that will combine 911 dispatch, EMS, fire, and administration in a larger building in 2025.
"The party supports the building of relationships and changing our culture to be open and supportive with all our divisions as we move under one roof," said BRFA Office Manager Jennifer Gensler.
