Saskatoon paramedics urge caution after spike in slips and falls

Medavie Health Services in Saskatoon said they’ve responded to more than a dozen emergency calls for slips and falls causing serious injuries so far this week.

“With the fluctuation of the weather we had on Monday, we had 11 falls that came in,” said Medavie spokesperson Troy Davies.

“They weren’t just minor falls — they were dislocations, fractures.”

Six of those came in the span of three hours, according to Davies.

“We don’t see that normally,” he explained.

Davies said they were helping everyone from teenagers to seniors.

Some people were hurt simply getting out of their vehicle.

“That’s probably the most common,” he said.

“You’re not really seeing where you’re stepping out of your vehicle. You take that first step out — you’ve got all your weight on one leg and it slips out from you.”

Davies suggests looking down and planting both feet before getting out.

For older adults, a fall in winter conditions could mean serious trouble.

“Hypothermia can set in immediately,” Davies explained.

“A lot of them have underlying medical conditions, so they can’t just bounce back. Their body is going to react to the cold and kind of fight or flight that at the time — so a simple fall for a senior is actually lights and sirens to us, because of other affecting factors.”

Davies said if you find someone who has fallen and hurt themselves, call 911.

Try to keep the person comfortable, but don’t move them.

“There could be some damage there, if they’ve got some obvious deformity or dislocation,” he said.

With a warm-up in temperatures again next week, paramedics are urging caution — take your time and wear proper footwear.

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