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Print | YORK REGION>Departments>Health Services>Emergency Medical Services |
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Emergency Medical Services
About Us
In March 1999, the Council of the Regional Municipality of York adopted a recommendation to establish and operate an Emergency Medical Service. In addition, Regional Council endorsed a model of high performance for the Emergency Medical Service, which included a directive to develop an integrated Advanced Life Support (ALS) program and provide the highest quality of patient care for York Region residents.
In January 2000, the Regional Municipality of York assumed responsibility for the delivery of land ambulance service. York Region Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was created through the amalgamation of 6 ambulance services that had previously operated in the Region.
EMS provides emergency and non-emergency ambulance service for the residents and visitors of York Region. Ambulances and Paramedic Response Vehicles, are strategically placed throughout the Region to provide emergency coverage. A Central Ambulance Communication Centre (CACC) located in Barrie, currently dispatches York Region EMS vehicles.
During the year 2003, York Region EMS responded to over 93,500 calls for assistance.
Paramedic Scope of PracticeAdvanced Life Support
York Region EMS employs full time and casual paramedics, certified as either Primary or Advanced Care. All Paramedics are certified through the York Region Base Hospital Program. Certification allows for paramedics to care for the sick and injured using controlled medical acts. Defibrillation, one of the medical acts, involves the delivery of an electrical shock to a patient who has experienced a "heart stoppage". Additionally all paramedics are certified to administer medications to patients experiencing:
- Chest pain associated with a heart attack
- Shortness of breath
- Low blood sugar and altered levels of awareness due to diabetes
- Severe allergic reactions
York Region EMS is committed to providing integrated Advanced Life Support to residents and visitors to the Region. This involves Primary Care Paramedics attending an intensive training program to enhance their skill and knowledge level. Upon completion of the program, paramedics are able to deliver additional potentially life saving procedures to their patients. In addition to the skills of the Primary Care Paramedics, the Advanced Care Paramedics are able to perform the following:
- Intubation (inserting a tube directly into the lungs to assist with breathing)
- Intravenous therapy (inserting a direct line into the bloodstream for medication administration and fluid replacement)
- Additional medication administration (12 additional medications)
- External Cardiac Pacemaker therapy
Prior to the creation of York Region EMS, advanced paramedic care was not readily available to York Region residents. In addition to its directive of March 1999 to establish an Advanced Life Support program, Regional Council approved the training of up to 48 paramedics to the Advanced Care level through 2002. Currently, 56 Advanced Care paramedics provide care in York Region.
