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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch 3 X) Q3 `( j) {/ c8 Q; [0 o
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST! Q! ]. Q- k+ h* n
CBC News 1 z( c8 y1 h" [& f2 b
There's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.6 Q5 |7 Z. b5 S% K V
7 s9 u6 h/ b" N- d9 \- N"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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% c0 ?2 f9 i, ILast 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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1 B0 T' }; H4 c1 EEMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.- x. `) S5 z* }& c
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Randy Littlechild, head of the union that represents paramedics, says things are getting worse.. c) L* v, T5 m! [, I4 I8 _
, D& b$ z: U3 ?- V"We're doing everything we can, but the system is falling apart – really and truly – it's not working," Littlechild says.
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6 t5 J: j! m0 n; Q) f7 `He says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals." Z4 i, L* e& R1 i) u3 k
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Capital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system. |
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