WHEREAS the governance and financing of pre-hospital medical care is the responsibility of the Province of British Columbias Ministry of Health Services, through the Emergency and Health Services Commission, but financing for the First Responder Program, which is within the Commissions mandate, is not being provided; AND WHEREAS local governments that provide a first responder program through their fire departments must finance the program themselves and some cannot afford to do so, which may create health care inequity across the Province of British Columbia: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM urge the provincial government of British Columbia to fully fund local governments first responder programs through the Ministry of Healths Emergency and Health Services Commission under the Ministry of Health Services.
EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES COMMISSION First Responders are an important element in the provision of pre-hospital care within British Columbia. They provide basic first aid and emergency health services, such as CPR and cardiac defibrillation, while paramedics are enroute. BC Ambulance Service BCAS Emergency Medical Dispatchers assess and prioritize 911 emergency medical calls and, based on protocols, determine the required level of response. The Fire Department is notified by BCAS in instances when a patients condition would benefit from having emergency medical care as soon as possible. BCAS periodically works with First Responder agencies to review the types of calls to which First Responders are dispatched. The First Responder Program is voluntary and most municipalities provide the service through their fire departments. Each local government, however, decides the level to which their department will participate in the program. Some municipalities only wish to provide assistance to paramedics when required while others wish to provide more comprehensive medical coverage for their communities and respond to all calls.