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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch : x2 q6 G4 C( l0 U. Y
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST
& Y2 ~ ]0 b8 M) Q# @0 tCBC News , H$ E- I) g. X* S- K$ F, `2 B
There's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.; U* I3 d4 ~) m2 g% `- \. s
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"Red alert" is the Emergency Medical Services term for the situation when there are no available ambulances in the entire city.7 a! Y0 ^) j6 H& |) `; V5 @
. `- {6 c. `" LLast 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.
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- x3 C; ~3 f5 @) e$ C& l, K8 UEMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon., U6 _$ v( a+ j4 C) u( S
8 x3 s* R) h. L5 FRandy Littlechild, head of the union that represents paramedics, says things are getting worse.
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* J& _7 K' b% F' Z, y"We're doing everything we can, but the system is falling apart – really and truly – it's not working," Littlechild says. . s4 U4 z. q! f h: w( k
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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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