Whereas volunteer fire departments throughout the province opt to provide Emergency Medical Assistance to enhance public safety in their communities which is valuable where there are long travel and wait times for BC Ambulance, or in circumstances when the BC Ambulance Service is experiencing high call volumes; And whereas the Province has undertaken a review of the Emergency Medical Assists Regulation Schedule 1 Services License Category that recommends increasing the minimum scope of skill services; And whereas increased training requirements on volunteer fire departments will have a potential negative impact on the provision of emergency medical pre-hospital care services provided by the volunteer fire departments which could force volunteer fire departments to make the difficult decision to terminate their provision of the medical First Responder Program service due to the increase in scope of skills creating an overly onerous training requirement: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM requests the Province to maintain the current minimum scope of skills services level to ensure that volunteer fire departments who opt in to providing the valuable service of Emergency Medical Assistance may continue to do so.
Ministry of Health On September 23, 2022, the Emergency Medical Assistance Regulations were amended to expand and update the scope of practice for paramedics and first responders. With the appropriate training and licensing in place, paramedics and first responders will be able to better assist and treat patients on scene. The updated scope of practice aligns with other jurisdictions and are modernized to allow for the incorporation of future innovations in emergency technology. The work to amend the regulations was led by the Province in collaboration with the Emergency Medical Assistance Licensing Board and consultation with training institutions, BC Emergency Health Services BCEHS, Ambulance Paramedics of BC CUPE 873, the BC Association of Professional Fire Fighters, the Fire Chiefs Association of BC, and first responder agencies. As work continues to implement the new regulations, these organizations will be key to ensuring that consistent and appropriate training, assessment, oversight, and continuing competency measures are in place. This will ensure that paramedics and first responders can provide the new services safely and competently. Some services within the expanded scope of practice are optional additions to first responder base license levels that local governments or first responder organizations may choose to have their first responders licensed to perform. In addition, first responders and paramedics have two years from the date the regulations were finalized September 23, 2022 to complete the appropriate upskill training. BCEHS is committed to providing timely, high quality and safe pre-hospital care for patients throughout British Columbia, while using public resources in an effective and efficient manner. As part of this commitment, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with BCEHS, fire departments, municipalities and other stakeholders, are working together to implement a coordinated approach to pre-hospital care that will ensure people throughout the province have access to the pre-hospital care they need.