EDMONTON – Global News has been working on a Code Red series: a special report looking at ambulance services and response times across Alberta.
Some paramedics have come forward to voice their concerns with the system. Some are warning of lengthening response times, while others say the current system is broken.
One EMT is posting very candid blogs, sharing his point of view with Global viewers and readers.
READ MORE: Code Red Part 3 – Trying to fix Alberta’s ambulance woes
You can watch the full Code Red series here.
On Thursday, Alberta Health Services posted a blog called “EMS response times remain steady,” in which it refuted claims that “patient care has been compromised as a result of longer response times” and patient transfer delays.
READ MORE: Code Red – AHS responds to paramedics’ concerns
Albertans have also been responding to the series. We’ve received emails, Facebook comments, phone calls and tweets from people sharing their own experiences with ambulance service in our province. Here are a few:
“On December 11/14 I slipped on the ice and broke my tibia, fibula, and dislocated my ankle,” Shannon O’Neill wrote on Facebook. “We waited forty minutes for an ambulance to arrive on the north end of Edmonton. We were told there were no ambulances on the north side at that time, there was one coming from the south side. We live one block from an ambulance department.”
“I agree that front-line workers should be consulted in decision making and that …Mandel do a week or two of job shadowing with the ambulance service to see what really happens and to speak and listen to the individuals providing this service,” wrote Jane Steblyk. “He would see first-hand the state of the service, the wait times, the emergency room etc. Knowledge is power right?”
“I live just outside of Edmonton in rural Strathcona,” wrote Debbie Hackman on Facebook. “On December 30 I called 911 for my husband who collapsed. We waited at least 30 minutes for ambulance to respond. They did show up and worked on my husband and eventually the fire trucks showed up too, but it was too late. They said my husband was gone. They apologized for getting here late saying they had to come from downtown because of the mass murder that day in Edmonton.
“I also had to wait forever with the RCMP until the medical examiner showed up to declare my husband dead. Was apologized to non-stop for that also. Apparently they usually show within 45 minutes but I waited hours again because of the mass murder in Edmonton. My husband had a heart attack and don’t know to this day if they could have revived him or not but I do know time is what matters when trying to revive someone. My son was just sweating doing CPR according to 911’s instructions. It has been almost three weeks and still seems like yesterday and not something I would want to see happen to anybody.”
In response to the Code Red series, specifically statements made by AHS’ chief paramedic, the Calgary-area paramedic Global News spoke to, “Dave,” wanted to share this statement:
“To Mr. Sandbeck,
You claim nothing is wrong with the system, that AHS has improved EMS since taking over. Can you explain the only two resources that have been added to metro Calgary since 2009 when the city projected an eight per cent increase in additional resources per year for the next five years. Where are those resources? Why are the metro areas constantly relying on the rural trucks to do calls in the city. This was never the case before and it’s become a disturbing trend.
AHS also claimed no degradation of services. How can you explain booking trucks out of service and staffing BLS trucks instead of ALS trucks in many areas around the province. Areas of high population that require paramedics and had them prior to transition.
What has truly been done about hospital waits, Mr. Sandbeck? The only action I have seen taken is the recent nurses project at Foothills Hospital and first-hand experience showed me it was yet another failed attempt by AHS to expedite the return of ambulances to the street. It took three hours to hand over care. That doesn’t help.
The transfer service has been broken and nothing of any note has been done to fix that either. I appreciate that you think something is being done but it has not changed. Your big promise of right resource to right patient at the right time is empty. You are burdening ALS trucks with BLS transfers. You are allowing the hospitals and Urgent Care centres to dictate when and how your resources are utilized with no thought to the local impact. This has never been addressed but it sure is talked about a lot. We are done listening to talk Mr. Sandbeck. It’s been five years. There are huge issues that you refuse to acknowledge. And by doing so it is a direct reflection of your inability to take EMS to where it needs to be… It is very clear that we are experiencing the worst times we have seen in health care and there seems to be no vision to change this. With oil being where it is, I can only imagine that it will be utilized as a handy excuse whenever one is required.
You and the government you work for should be absolutely ashamed of the state that we are in and, like George Porter so eloquently stated, “make change or make way, but stop making excuses.”
Maybe it’s time you let someone else step up to the plate Mr. Sandbeck, the third strike just went by.”
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