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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch * T5 f. W& P* F. n G
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST$ k7 U: M& }; I/ d
CBC News
: T$ \8 t5 {( H9 B2 I& j: gThere's been a big jump in the number of "red alerts" in Edmonton this year.
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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./ g6 g0 B5 E9 k4 }+ k
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Last 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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# i# Q& j; C- G5 |, p& tEMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.
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Randy Littlechild, head of the union that represents paramedics, says things are getting worse.- G Q! d0 ^2 B3 H0 d) O
6 D. V! T5 s1 {% ~, k& \2 B"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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He says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals.1 a" i& A L9 r$ U0 ~ n
' k- q2 K9 |( zCapital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system. |
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