Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch

晓晓晓晓

Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch  
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST
3 j! k- d# o' g6 oCBC News
There's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.
- r3 x6 h: b5 l! v0 R- b0 l9 h  P
"Red alert" is the Emergency Medical Services term for the situation when there are no available ambulances in the entire city.

# Y/ t6 C" T2 S' a7 {/ @$ m+ O* `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.
3 J! O2 \9 _+ j/ U/ I& N
EMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.

8 q3 b: x# B' S' J4 dRandy Littlechild, head of the union that represents paramedics, says things are getting worse.
& K7 j+ C' q$ b. c( `; y( t
" w# J' H: @7 r2 ^# R"We're doing everything we can, but the system is falling apart – really and truly – it's not working," Littlechild says.
" f+ m* b3 Y- B) N# a, u. [" T
" I( n. _) W8 t+ ?$ n/ L$ sHe says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals.

1 {: q% }# x! _) C4 m* ICapital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system.

晓晓晓晓

"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.

晓晓晓晓

PS:我和LI2换了.