Emergency calls

The Union of B.C. Municipalities wants B.C.’s hospitals, emergency rooms, and ambulance services are open and available to 24 hours a day. Josh Berson photo

Communities make plea for urgent action to address B.C.’s emergency care crisis

UBCM delegates pass special resolution calling for more government support as ERs face closures

 

A firefighter returns to a truck after crews extinguished a 3-alarm fire at an apartment building in Burnaby, B.C., on Tuesday May 27, 2014. The union that represents E-Comm 911 emergency service dispatchers in British Columbia is calling for the agency to extend temporary compensation and psychological supports amid a “dire” staffing shortage.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Union for B.C. 911 dispatchers calls for extended supports amid staff shortage

Worker retention remains a major problem because of low wages and burnout

 

B.C. Premier John Horgan pauses while speaking during a funding announcement for a planned middle-secondary school, in Coquitlam, B.C., on Tuesday, August 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Horgan cites ambulance ‘investment’ as he addresses Barriere infant death

Premier says the government is working with firefighters as well as the paramedics union

 

British Columbia’s provincial flag flies in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

‘Heartbreaking loss’: B.C. agency looks into ambulance call after infant death report

BC Emergency Health Services will work with patient care quality office to reach out to the family

British Columbia’s provincial flag flies in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The back of a BC Emergency Health Services ground ambulance. (Black Press file photo)

Emergency rooms close in B.C., paramedics union says ambulances unstaffed

Temporary ER closure in Merritt latest in a series due to staffing issues

The back of a BC Emergency Health Services ground ambulance. (Black Press file photo)
(Black Press file photo).

B.C. municipality calls on province to help fund 911 services

Pitt Meadows puts resolution to UBCM calling for provincial action, money

(Black Press file photo).
A Cultus Lake Fire Department engine tries to thread the needle through traffic and parked cars on a busy day last weekend. (Cultus Lake FD screenshot)

VIDEO: Illegal parking at Cultus Lake causes problems for first responders

Cultus Lake Fire Department has to creep through traffic on Columbia Valley Highway

A Cultus Lake Fire Department engine tries to thread the needle through traffic and parked cars on a busy day last weekend. (Cultus Lake FD screenshot)
Tony Staffieri speaks at the Rogers annual general meeting in Toronto on Monday, April 23, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Matthew Sherwood

Rogers pursuing deal with competitors to juggle 911 calls in case of outage

July 8 outage left millions unable to use phone for emergency services

Tony Staffieri speaks at the Rogers annual general meeting in Toronto on Monday, April 23, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Matthew Sherwood
Kelly Titchenell sits on her porch in Mather, Pa., holding a photo of her mother Diania Kronk, and an urn containing her mother’s ashes, Thursday, July 7, 2022. A Greene County , Pa., detective last week filed charges against 911 operator Leon “Lee” Price, 50, of Waynesburg, in the July 2020 death of Diania Kronk, 54, based on Price’s reluctance to dispatch help without getting more assurance that Kronk would actually go to the hospital. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

911 dispatcher charged with involuntary manslaughter for failing to send ambulance

Pennsylvania woman died from internal bleeding one day later

Kelly Titchenell sits on her porch in Mather, Pa., holding a photo of her mother Diania Kronk, and an urn containing her mother’s ashes, Thursday, July 7, 2022. A Greene County , Pa., detective last week filed charges against 911 operator Leon “Lee” Price, 50, of Waynesburg, in the July 2020 death of Diania Kronk, 54, based on Price’s reluctance to dispatch help without getting more assurance that Kronk would actually go to the hospital. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
(Facebook/E-Comm911)

E-Comm warns of critical staff shortages going into Canada Day long weekend

911 dispatchers may have to work forced overtime to meet minimum staffing levels

(Facebook/E-Comm911)
A memorial, shown on June 8, 2022, in the back alley of a home in Calgary where an 86-year-old woman was attacked by dogs. She was taken to hospital and later died. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colette Derworiz

Alberta orders outside review into ambulance response time to dog attack victim

EMS initially triaged the “dog bite” as non-life-threatening based on 911 call centre information

A memorial, shown on June 8, 2022, in the back alley of a home in Calgary where an 86-year-old woman was attacked by dogs. She was taken to hospital and later died. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colette Derworiz
Police surround an ambulance in Calgary on May 28, 2008. Alberta Health Services says it is investigating why it took 30 minutes for an ambulance to respond after dogs attacked an 86-year-old woman in Calgary. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal

Alberta Health Services investigates EMS response time in fatal Calgary dog attack

It took 30 minutes for an ambulance to respond after incident happened

Police surround an ambulance in Calgary on May 28, 2008. Alberta Health Services says it is investigating why it took 30 minutes for an ambulance to respond after dogs attacked an 86-year-old woman in Calgary. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal
RCMP, Firefighters and B.C. Ambulance paramedics prepare to leave the scene after an injured man was placed in an ambulance following an alleged assault in Caledonia Park in Nanaimo on Friday, June 3. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Man taken to hospital after reportedly being beaten with a stick at Nanaimo park

Suspect arrested shortly after argument at Caledonia Park on Friday, June 3

RCMP, Firefighters and B.C. Ambulance paramedics prepare to leave the scene after an injured man was placed in an ambulance following an alleged assault in Caledonia Park in Nanaimo on Friday, June 3. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Al Smith, executive director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, shows where a homeless person living behind the building plugged in electric bike, a move that blew up the battery of the bicycle and set part of the building on fire. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Charging e-bike battery explodes, sets fire to Vancouver Island building

RCMP took e-biker into custody, after blaze at the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Al Smith, executive director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, shows where a homeless person living behind the building plugged in electric bike, a move that blew up the battery of the bicycle and set part of the building on fire. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
E-Comm says the organization is understaffed and underfunded while facing a record level of calls for service. (E-Comm photo)

‘Understaffed and underfunded’: E-Comm struggling to meet demand for B.C. 911 calls

Staff shortages and increased call volumes straining E-Comm’s resources

E-Comm says the organization is understaffed and underfunded while facing a record level of calls for service. (E-Comm photo)
Nanaimo RCMP Const. Ross Beisel pulls over a driver during a ‘slow down, move over’ drivers awareness campaign Friday, April 29. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

100 Vancouver Island drivers pulled over in roadside worker safety reminder

Nanaimo RCMP, BCAA and Mid Island Towing partner on ‘slow down, move over’ awareness campaign

Nanaimo RCMP Const. Ross Beisel pulls over a driver during a ‘slow down, move over’ drivers awareness campaign Friday, April 29. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Penelakut Tribe elder August Sylvester and his daughter Marya Luby perform a ceremonial cleansing of the MV Island Responder to rid it of evil, accompanied by captains Chris Mullin and Bob Mollet. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Official ceremony launches Island Responder into a new era

Commemoration of marine ambulance in B.C. community features Penelakut blessing

Penelakut Tribe elder August Sylvester and his daughter Marya Luby perform a ceremonial cleansing of the MV Island Responder to rid it of evil, accompanied by captains Chris Mullin and Bob Mollet. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Brian Francoeur at the Chemainus dock beside the Island Responder that’s been in service for a few months and making such a difference to residents of nearby islands to get medical treatment quickly. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Commissioning of first purpose-built marine ambulance in B.C. waters takes place Thursday

Ceremony postponed from November due to another emergency – the weather

Brian Francoeur at the Chemainus dock beside the Island Responder that’s been in service for a few months and making such a difference to residents of nearby islands to get medical treatment quickly. (Photo by Don Bodger)
More than 40 per cent of non-emergency calls made to the Vancouver Police Department through E-Comm were abandoned in the first quarter of 2022, according to VPD. (Facebook/E-Comm911)

‘Public safety issue’: 40% of non-emergency calls in Vancouver going unanswered

E-Comm says increased call volumes, staff stress leave contributing to ongoing issue

More than 40 per cent of non-emergency calls made to the Vancouver Police Department through E-Comm were abandoned in the first quarter of 2022, according to VPD. (Facebook/E-Comm911)
B.C. Emergency Health Services and Island Health have announced a partnership that will make blood for transfusions readily available for air ambulance paramedics. (Photo submitted)

Blood becoming ‘available at all times’ for trauma patients on Vancouver Island

Island Health and B.C. Emergency Health Services announce partnership

B.C. Emergency Health Services and Island Health have announced a partnership that will make blood for transfusions readily available for air ambulance paramedics. (Photo submitted)