Whereas first responders are essential in providing emergency medical services; And whereas an assured source of funding is currently not provided to first responder agencies throughout the province: Therefore be it resolved that the provincial government be requested to immediately provide budget funds that provide a sustainable, continued source of funding to first responder agencies throughout the province.
Ministry of Health First responder services are an important element of pre-hospital care in British Columbia, and the partnership between BC Emergency Health Services BCEHS, fire departments and other agencies in responding to emergency events is essential. The Ministry of Health appreciates your ongoing concern for fiscal accountability, as local governments continue to determine how to best allocate their funding and resources for responding to urgent and routine calls. Some municipalities have chosen to have first responders continue to attend both urgent and routine non-emergency calls, but others have elected to have first responders attend only those urgent calls where a patients condition will benefit from initial care. BCEHS reviews the provision of pre-hospital care to evaluate responses to 911 calls and to determine activities to improve patient care, and to optimize responses and the allocation of resources. In February 2016, BCEHS released a demand and deployment study on ground resources in the Lower Mainland and Greater Victoria, and an accompanying action plan. The review analyzed over 350,000 incidents in 2014 including 86,000 in Metro Vancouver, where first responders were dispatched to assist BCEHS paramedics. First responders from 21 municipalities in the Lower Mainland have been working with BCEHS, and provided their own data to assist in the review. This data will be beneficial as BCEHS analyzes the entire continuum of emergency care, including the role of first responders in responding to medical emergencies. BCEHS has established a working group with 21 Lower Mainland municipalities and their fire departments, to develop effective and collaborative ways to enhance patient care. Any changes to the BCEHS deployment model based on evidence from the resource review will help reduce first responders wait time on scene, and the number of times first responders arrive on scene prior to BCEHS. BCEHS will continue to consult with local governments and first responders throughout the province about the action plan. BCEHS is committed to providing timely, high quality and safe pre-hospital care for patients throughout BC, while using public resources in an effective and efficient manner.