Town of Cochrane council voted in favour of a motion to upgrade ambulatory services at their meeting on June 26, and the improved service level will not mean any additional strain on the budget.
The move, which had been suggested by administration a few weeks ago, will mean Cochrane patients will have access to an upgrade from the existing EMS when medically-trained firefighters respond to calls.
When enacted, the amended policy will increase the medical first response from Emergency Medical Responder to full-scope Basic Life Support (BLS) at the primary care paramedic level. When full-scope BLS is not available, Fire Services will continue to respond to calls with the level of service available at the time.
The change would add a number of procedures to paramedics’ toolkits: adding several medications available to be administered including those for asthma attacks, severe allergic reactions, significantly low blood glucose and pain relief resulting from traumatic injuries; allowing intermediate airway control for patients unable to breathe on their own; initiating an intravenous line that can be used for medication administration and fluid resuscitation; and, aligning service levels with several of the fire services in the greater Calgary area.
Fire resources are activated any time an ambulance is 10 minutes or greater from the patient. Medical first response is triggered due to the seriousness of the event as well as the time factor.
Internal data from CFS presented at the meeting showed that EMS response comprises approximately 50 per cent of Fire Services’ annual call volume. 2022 showed a slight increase to 52.9 per cent of call volume, with 600 events attended. Cochrane Fire Services does not leave the municipal boundaries to provide either EMS assistance or fire medical first response.
Executive director of protective and community services Stacey Loe clarified to council there is no cost implication attached to the amendment.
“What changes is the amount of service they can provide, there is no impact to operating or capital budgets,” she said. “There will be some refresher training conducted, but that will be done in-house.”
Mayor Jeff Genung pointed out that what may be lost in all the discussions is that the Town has been able to improve local service, while awaiting results from the provincial government’s long-standing promises to improve overall EMS service.
“We’re ensuring that residents can get the best level of care that we can provide . . . to patients in the absence of a provincial EMS service that is under repair right now,” Genung said.
Genung’s other comment came in response to a smattering of applause from the gallery after the motion was approved unanimously by council.
“You know what? It’s nice to hear applause from that side of the room every once in a while,” he said.
