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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch
4 o8 S- m0 t3 n4 FLast updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST
) Y( i" a( T$ ]0 k- M7 X! l( gCBC News
' F# r# _8 d' e5 s/ CThere's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.& b# W( {& z) ~& N2 k
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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.# |6 }$ [* F- e" v' E/ K
0 X Q' _9 B( RLast 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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8 H# _7 y/ ^ z' ~- |9 NEMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.3 A. N$ u, c. A9 A7 G) d" G) b
% S/ G3 I7 ]( Q" }& E' f( QRandy 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. 5 k/ G/ D7 c# S3 g# S
% ]( ~5 V, w" `# u. nHe says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals.! z' L7 }+ i# v6 S9 B4 x' k7 H
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Capital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system. |
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