‘No paramedics available’: ambulance shortage hits Medicine Hat

The union says another code red, in which no ambulances are available, took place Sunday, Sept. 12 over an unknown amount of time in Medicine Hat.

The pandemic and the opioid crisis, along with a lack of new hiring, are said to have combined to create a shortage of paramedics.

“Every day units get sucked into Calgary and Edmonton because they don’t have units leaving all our outlying communities with no paramedics available,” Health Sciences Association of Alberta President Mike Parker said.

But in a statement emailed to CHAT News, Alberta Health Services said anyone who needs care will receive it.

“We are ensuring that the most critical patients are prioritized for receiving immediate care. EMS monitors ambulance availability in real-time and ensures resources are available to respond to emergencies. System adjustments are made minute by minute to make the best use of the existing resources,” the AHS statement said.

The union responds there is too much strain on the system.

“Call 911. We’ll find some way to get to you. But in the meantime what I need people to understand is there (are no paramedics) left. So we have to somehow clear up a crew, cancel a lower priority call… whatever it’s going to take to get someone to you. We should never be in this position. There should always be available paramedics to respond to your call,” Parker said.

AHS says 100 paramedics are being hired for positions province-wide.

by Darren Rathwell

‘No paramedics available’: ambulance shortage hits Medicine Hat

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