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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch 1 I% e# L% b, I% R- Y
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST
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& |1 q1 @* A3 c% k K: BThere's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.
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& l! ^/ ?1 ?# O: ]1 O"Red alert" is the Emergency Medical Services term for the situation when there are no available ambulances in the entire city.
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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.4 g( v4 c+ a4 X* B4 y3 o/ n# B
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EMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.7 m4 Y; c2 @7 P' r
) {1 x$ A2 w" ?! U! K: tRandy 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. 8 y1 d8 J; _3 y/ M( I# F8 L
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He says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals.
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Capital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system. |
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