VICTORIA - The Campbell government will have to respond to a scathing report released under the Freedom of Information Act that details deplorable working conditions of The B.C. Ambulance Service Dispatch Centre in Kamloops, says New Democrat MLA Charlie Wyse.

"In April I urged the Health Minister to respond to what can only be described as one of the most serious issues facing healthcare in rural B.C. This is a centre that responds to the 911 needs of three quarters of the province and they themselves are at risk of an emergency situation," said Wyse, MLA for Cariboo South.

The facility inspection report calls into question the safety of the Kamloops Dispatch Centre for providing dispatch services. The results of the report cite poor telecommunications equipment, inadequate ventilation, mould and earthquake weaknesses.

"The results of this FOI request show that the government knew of the Centre's inadequacies back in February before a sump pump failure in April caused sewage backup and forced a closure for the first time in 20 years. This put the general population of much of the province in the situation of having no 911 assistance.

"It is completely inexcusable that the Campbell government allowed the situation to get to this point and put our essential emergency dispatchers at risk. The question now is will they fix it," said Wyse.

The B.C. Ambulance Service is expected to resume operations in the same facility.