Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch

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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch  
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST
  b5 l$ d4 `/ C; |4 O4 TCBC News
There's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.

- z  ^9 c0 R4 |( Q. O0 j"Red alert" is the Emergency Medical Services term for the situation when there are no available ambulances in the entire city.

Last week, a red alert led Capital Health to admit that hospitals can't keep up, meaning ambulances have to wait at emergency until the hospital can take the patient.

- Z) U0 a5 q& C( ]- gEMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.

/ o5 j( D8 L0 ARandy Littlechild, head of the union that represents paramedics, says things are getting worse.
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"We're doing everything we can, but the system is falling apart – really and truly – it's not working," Littlechild says.

He says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals.

Capital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system.

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"Red alert"是EMS( Emergency Medical Services )的术语,指当整个城市一辆救护车都不可用的状况.上周,由于一次"Red alert"使得Capital Health 不得不承认医院已经跟不上了--救护车必须在紧急情况的时候等待医院是否有能力接受病人.EMS说去年有36次"Red alert",目前为止今年就有九次--有两次是周一下午.医院职员的代表人说事态已经变的更差,他说尽管每个人都在努力,但是整个系统已经支离破碎,无法工作.他认为爱城医院的病床和病房的数目必须增加.Capital Health 则说部分系统将会改变.

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PS:我和LI2换了.