The Emergency Services Agency has abandoned its long-running $6.6 million project to combine its communication centre across the ACT's fire and ambulance services.
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Firefighters will continue to answer emergency triple-0 calls in the ACT, with the shift to civilian call-takers dropped.
The agency had been working on the project to combine its communication centre for seven years, drawing ire from unions and staff.
ESA commissioner Georgeina Whelan told staff of the decision to change its communications centre - known as ComCen - model after 5pm on Tuesday last week.
"There are some roles in the ComCen that were created with a view to progressing the one ESA ComCen model. This decision will result in these roles no longer being required," Ms Whelan said in an email seen by The Canberra Times.
"ESA will work with individual staff members who are impacted by this decision on a case-by-case basis, to identify other suitable roles."
An agency spokeswoman said the decision, taken in June, was made in the best interests of the community following consultation with staff.
"This move towards a contemporary service involved ongoing consultations between the ESA and unions to ensure the best operational outcomes for the safety of the community and the well-being of ambulance and fire and rescue staff," the spokeswoman said.
The government had allocated $6.6 million for 13 full-time equivalent staff in the ComCen restructure, and had allocated funding for 12 full-time ambulance emergency call-takers in a $61.4 million spend on the ambulance service.
"The decision to transition the ComCen aligns with the evolving needs of the community and the imperative to enhance emergency response capabilities," the spokeswoman said.
Then-emergency services minister Simon Corbell confirmed in June 2016 the switch to civilian call takers over firefighters would begin in July 2017.
The United Firefighters Union at the time argued professional firefighters were needed in the centre to make complex operational decisions and manage a range of firefighting resources.
Ms Whelan told staff the ACT Ambulance Service of the ComCen was already reporting to the ambulance service and the Fire and Rescue side would revert to its original staffing structure from Monday, July 3.
Ms Whelan said the agency had learned a "significant amount that will not be lost".
"I ask all staff to be mindful that this transition is sensitive in nature and may affect certain staff within the ComCen. It is also a difficult time for many of those who have been working towards the one ESA ComCen model," she said.
ACT Fire & Rescue's acting chief officer, Paul Flynn, issued a staff minute on Tuesday that said the communications centre would be staffed on each shift by a station officer and three firefighters.
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The civilian staff would remain as additional support until further notice but would not be backfilled.
Mr Flynn acknowledged the contribution of the civilian staff "in the time they have been our colleagues".
A secret review of the Emergency Services Agency by British fire chief Mark Jones in 2015 recommended firefighters could be replaced with trained civilians to take triple-0 calls.
Trained civilian ambulance call-takers have worked in the ComCen since 2008, but previous reviews have identified tensions within the call centre.
The United Firefighters Union has been vocal in expressing frustrations with the Emergency Services Agency under the leadership of Ms Whelan.
United Firefighters Union ACT branch secretary Greg McConville in June said the agency should no longer be allowed to handle the ACT firefighting service's operational issues and amounted to "lead in the saddlebags" of firefighters.
"We call on the ACT government to get the ESA out of emergency service operations and return the ESA to its original intent as an administrative and governance body," Mr McConville said.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
