A new ambulance for the B.C. Emergency Health Services unit in Williams Lake is making a huge difference.
Paramedic Chief Patti Thompson said it arrived the end of May because the unit had added another shift and needed to expand its fleet.
“It has an auto load and I am just in the process of getting the other two cars we have their auto loads put in as well,” Thompson said, noting they will be upgraded in Prince George because it has to be done by a specially-trained installer.
When asked if the unit has used the new ambulance much, she said, “oh gosh yes.”
“We had some serious lifting issues and are quite often asking for help so when we received the ELK, which is that little air guy that pumps up and raises people up into a sitting position so you can bring them to a stand, and then of course the cot is an amazing piece of equipment.”
By hitting a button, the work is being done for the paramedics and saving serious potential back injuries, she added.
“It will lengthen the life of our paramedics by a lot.”
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Presently there are eight full-time paramedics and 20 part-time paramedics, which includes the Kilo crew who are at home with pagers.
“The Kilo crew do the transfers and that way that keeps us with two cars available for in-town,” she said, noting with the extra car they’ve added runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
After looking at operations, they decided that was the time where they needed the extra help the most.
In 2018, the unit will expand its training and Thompson said she is excited to see what kinds of support they will receive from the Provincial Health Services Authority for training opportunities.
“It sounds like we are going to be in for a lot of upgrading,” she explained.
“We are always reviewing how we do our calls and our calls are being reviewed and looking to see what we need in our areas.”
Unit 348 Williams Lake, is a provincial ambulance service and crews could be sent anywhere.
“One of the things I notice about Williams Lake is we really do cover an awful lot of ground,” she said.
“Right now we are having troubles getting positions in Alexis Creek filled so that means we need to cover out there as well and we go out Highway 20 as far as they need us. The Anahim Lake unit is up and running so that’s been helpful.”
The coverage area includes north to Alexandria, east to Likely and Horsefly.
“100 Mile House has its area to cover, but they will come up to help us if we need backup or vice versa.”
There are four ambulances in Williams Lake — three in regular use and one spare.
“We also have the MSU still here in case we have a multiple patient event.”
While B.C. Ambulance was the agency’s former name, it was changed technically to B.C. Emergency Health Services a few years ago.
“We are under the umbrella of the Provincial Health Services Authority,” she added.
On Tuesday, July 10 Thompson was travelling to Bella Coola to support a community paramedic there.
“I’m going out there to work with a paramedic who is getting signed off because he’s gone through all his training processes.”
In the province, B.C. Emergency Health Services employs more than 3,600 trained emergency services personnel including advanced and critical care paramedics and emergency medical services dispatchers.
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