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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch * Q s' M0 h+ B
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST
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There'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.
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+ U2 l" t& k: QLast 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.. K# S6 J0 ^5 e5 A, t" \
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EMS 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.* V3 T( f5 W9 M
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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.
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" H$ s3 W7 |8 }! D D" THe says it has come to the point where there has to be an increase of rooms and beds in Edmonton hospitals.
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Capital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system. |
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