Whereas the residents of Province of British Columbia deserve timely and professional emergency health care services when health emergencies occur; And whereas many rural communities lack after hour and weekend access to medical clinics or hospitals in their communities; And whereas the BC Emergency Health Services prioritization model often and regularly deploys Emergency Health Care resources to larger communities; leaving rural communities with reduced or no EHS resources. Residents of rural communities are subjected to extended delays in access to emergency health care; And whereas many rural communities possess Volunteer Fire Departments with personnel who are qualified as First Responders and licensed through Emergency Medical Assistant Licensing Board of the Province of British Columbia to provide basic life saving care: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the Province of British Columbia and BC Emergency Health Services to increase budgets and develop policies to fund the response of qualified First Responders to medical emergencies to provide basic life saving care when EHS response is delayed or EHS crews require support or assistance.
