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 In The NewsMay 15, 2009 MINISTER MARKS EMS AWARENESS WEEKMay 17 to 23 has been proclaimed Emergency Medical Services Awareness Week in Manitoba in recognition of the life-saving work the province’s emergency medical services (EMS) professionals do each and every day, Health Minister Theresa Oswald has announced. “Manitoba’s EMS personnel work day and night in the service of their fellow citizens,” Oswald said. “I extend my gratitude to these dedicated Manitobans for the vital work they do on the front lines of our health-care system.” There are more than 1,850 licensed EMS providers serving communities across the province. Each year, EMS Awareness Week connects Manitobans with educational materials and activities to raise awareness of the role emergency medical services providers play in saving lives and protecting the health of Manitoba families. “EMS Awareness Week is an excellent opportunity to recognize the significant contributions made each day by all pre-hospital care providers in communities right across our province,” said Eric Glass, chair of the Paramedic Association of Manitoba. “It also offers a tremendous forum for the public to learn more about early recognition of medical emergencies, appropriate use of our emergency medical services system, and the importance of personal health awareness and injury prevention.” The province remains committed to building on its investments to further strengthen EMS services across Manitoba, Oswald said. Recent provincial investments in emergency medical services include: · $5 million for 39 new and replacement ambulances for communities across the province; · $2.7 million to permanently hire additional paramedics provincewide; · $1.3 million to partner with Red River College to deliver a primary-care paramedic program at the college’s main campus and at three rural and northern sites; · $7.8 million to develop the Medical Transportation Co-ordination Centre in Brandon, the dedicated centre for the dispatch of all rural and northern medical services including inter-facility transfers; · $6.5 million to replace an air-ambulance jet in the Lifeflight program which provides life-saving transport each year to more than 500 people living in remote communities; · $4.6 million to construct or substantially upgrade 16 emergency medical stations in Morden/Winkler, Oak Bluff, Carmen, The Pas, Killarney, Swan River, Minnedosa, Rivers, Ste. Anne, Gypsumville, The Pas, Steinbach, Lundar, Kinisota Trails, Ashern and Dauphin; · an estimated $7 million each year to fund the full patient cost of inter-facility transports; and · more than $15 million in a fleet vehicle program including the purchase of 160 new ambulances which introduced ambulance standards and reduced purchase and vehicle operation expenditures.
Dozen new paramedics on duty (Winnipeg) - Winnipeg Sun December 12, 2007 Training requirements deter rural ambulance drivers - CBC News December 11, 2007 PAM FEEDBACK – CBC News Online Municipal officials shouldn’t be concerned about legislation increasing the education requirements for ambulance attendants in Manitoba. In fact the new legislation stands to dramatically improve emergency health services across the province, especially in rural Manitoba communities. Until the new Emergency Medical Response and Stretcher Transportation Act became law in April of 2006, Manitoba had the lowest education requirements for ambulance personnel amongst all provinces in the country. When first implemented over two decades ago, an Ambulance Operator (ambulance driver) license required only a sixteen hour basic first aid course. While that may have seemed acceptable for ambulance attendants at the time, it is inconceivable to think that anyone might condone this in today’s society. Even today’s new requirement for ambulance personnel to be trained to a minimum Emergency Medical Responder level would be considered low in many other Canadian jurisdictions. The emphasis that is placed on maintaining volunteer ambulance services in Manitoba is imprudent and ill-conceived. The face of our health care system has changed considerably over the years, and so too have the roles of many health care providers. Prehospital emergency medical care is far more sophisticated and far more capable than it was two decades ago. Emergency treatment for a multitude of life threatening conditions, that only a few years ago had to be delivered in a hospital setting, can now be provided by paramedics in the field and during transport. In many jurisdictions the role of ambulance personnel has been expanded to include community health and primary health care. It is now widely recognized by health care administrators that emergency medical services can significantly enhance health services and oftentimes help mitigate rising health care costs. The reality is that today’s health care needs demand more highly trained paramedics that work within the confines of the health care system. A health care system in Manitoba that is in need of finding ways to reduce its dependency on limited financial and facility resources needs to ensure it has a strong ambulance system staffed by appropriately educated practitioners. Access to our emergency medical services system should not be measured simply by how quickly an ambulance arrives at a residence, but rather how quickly the patient receives appropriate and definitive treatment for his or her health emergency. As suggested by Councillor Klym (RM of Bifrost), rural ambulance transport times are often quite long. Add to that the fact that a single rural ambulance responding to a motor vehicle collision or other accident may very well need to treat multiple patients and one would assume the need for increased licensing requirements as set out by this legislation is very clear. Any attempt by municipal officials to have the training requirements for EMS personnel in Manitoba reduced in an effort to promote volunteer ambulance services would be ill-advised. Not only does talk of losing an ambulance because of this legislation trigger unwarranted fear amongst residents, it also deprives them of the very health care they really deserve. The residents of Riverton are better served if local politicians focus their energies on working with the regional health authority and provincial government to find ways to adhere to the new legislation. This challenge will serve not only to enhance the emergency medical services system but also improve the level of prehospital health care available to your constituents. We expect police car “drivers” to be police officers. We expect anyone driving a fire truck to be a firefighter. When we need emergency medical care, why don’t we expect an ambulance to be staffed by people able to provide that care? Riverton ambulance service may lose drivers - Interlake Spectator December 7, 2007 Interlake Spectator Dear Editor: Municipal officials shouldn’t be concerned about legislation increasing the education requirements for ambulance attendants in Manitoba as suggested in a story that appeared in the Interlake Spectator last week (Riverton ambulance service may lose drivers - December 7, 2007). In fact the new legislation stands to dramatically improve emergency health services across the province, especially in rural Manitoba communities. Until the new Emergency Medical Response and Stretcher Transportation Act became law in April of 2006, Manitoba had the lowest education requirements for ambulance personnel amongst all provinces in the country. When first implemented over two decades ago, an Ambulance Operator (AO) license required only a sixteen hour basic first aid course. While that may have seemed acceptable for ambulance attendants at the time, it is inconceivable to think that anyone might condone this in today’s society. Even today’s new requirement for ambulance personnel to be trained to a minimum Emergency Medical Responder level would be considered low in many other Canadian jurisdictions. The emphasis that is placed on maintaining volunteer ambulance services in Manitoba is outmoded and ill-conceived. The face of our health care system has changed considerably over the years, and so too have the roles of many health care providers. Prehospital emergency medical care is far more sophisticated and far more capable than it was two decades ago. Emergency treatment for a multitude of life threatening conditions, that only a few years ago had to be delivered in a hospital setting, can now be provided by paramedics in the field and during transport. In many jurisdictions the role of ambulance personnel has been expanded to include community health and primary health care. It is now widely recognized by health care administrators that emergency medical services can significantly enhance health services and oftentimes help mitigate rising health care costs. The reality is that today’s health care needs demand more highly trained paramedics that work within the confines of the health care system. A health care system in Manitoba that is in need of finding ways to reduce its dependency on limited financial and facility resources needs to ensure it has a strong ambulance system staffed by appropriately educated practitioners. Access to our emergency medical services system should not be measured simply by how quickly an ambulance arrives at a residence, but rather how quickly the patient receives appropriate and definitive treatment for his or her health emergency. Is a young student experiencing an allergic reaction at school or a senior suffering the onset symptoms of a heat attack better served by ambulance personnel trained only in basic first aid, or an ambulance staffed by paramedics able to administer life-saving treatment immediately upon their arrival? Any attempt by municipal officials to have the training requirements for EMS personnel in Manitoba reduced in an effort to promote volunteer ambulance services would be ill-advised. Not only does talk of losing an ambulance because of this legislation trigger unwarranted fear amongst residents, it also deprives them of the very health care they really deserve. The residents of Riverton are better served if local politicians focus their energies on working with the regional health authority and provincial government to find ways to adhere to the new legislation. This challenge will serve not only to enhance the emergency medical services system but also improve the level of prehospital health care available to your constituents. Respectfully,
Eric Glass Chairman
Paramedic Association of Manitoba Service Outages Due to Staff Shortage CBC TV News (Winnipeg) August 30, 2007 Manitoba Election 2007 White Paper Released On Tuesday, May 8, 2007 the Paramedic Association of Manitoba presented our White Paper entitled Emergency Medical Services - Manitoba's Quiet Crisis to the leaders of Manitoba's three main political parties. At that time we asked each party to review the document and and also gave them a questionnaire to complete relating to the recommendations contained in the report. Each party was asked to reply in writing to our office no later than Tuesday, May 15th. We have received the party responses and have posted them here for viewing and/or download. The White Paper can also be viewed using the link below. Emergency Medical Services - Manitoba's Quiet Crisis Liberal Reply to PAM Questions Medical Transportation coordination Centre (MTCC) Officially Opens Manitoba Government News Release Justice Minister Announces Plans for LODD Memorials Memorials for on-duty deaths (Wpg Free Press) Correspondence to Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh requesting paramedic memorial. Emerson Ambulance to Close Emerson loses ambulance (Wpg Sun) Manitoba border town loses ambulance service (CBC News) PAM responds to MLA Jack Penner's comment EMS Personnel - New Licensing Requirements
Highlights of changes in EMS provider licensing includes:
As we understand the transition and "grandfathering" process:
New EMS Regulations in Effect April 1, 2006 The amended Emergency Medical Response and Stretcher Transportation Act will be proclaimed effective April 1, 2006. Major changes to the Act include regulation of medical dispatch, medical first response services and stretcher transportation services. In conjunction with this new legislation the corresponding operational Regulations have been revised, resulting in four new Regulations being adopted outlining significant changes to personnel and service licensing requirements.
Prince Edward Island Moves to Provincial Ambulance Model Nova Scotia company wins ambulance bid (CBC News) P.E.I. paramedics happy with ambulance choice (CBC News)
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| Manitoba Paramedics...Responding for Life! | ||
