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Edmonton suffers ambulance crunch 1 ?# f4 |; T) O$ j: F- W: ]
Last updated Jan 31 2006 08:26 AM MST4 B) F+ a7 K: u) N
CBC News - A- R6 h f& e% B5 V& _
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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' } @ p5 |: T$ `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.; ]* n* F4 o7 d
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EMS says there were 36 red alerts last year, and nine so far this year – including two Monday afternoon.. w% a# _8 X, o4 M$ s, [6 J0 ?
& C! P# S- ]9 ?4 w, PRandy Littlechild, head of the union that represents paramedics, says things are getting worse.
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2 O6 F! E, q; v3 U"We're doing everything we can, but the system is falling apart – really and truly – it's not working," Littlechild says. & B% s0 `: X% E% B. K" J
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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.
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_& u- f) h! b/ M7 ACapital Health says it will look into making changes to that part of the system. |
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