Whereas the resource sector is the corner stone of the economies of most rural communities and modern health care is crucial to attracting new investment, a workforce, and securing quality of life for rural residents; And whereas the BC Forest Safety Ombudsmans report on Helicopter Emergency Medical Services has identified that rural communities are negatively affected by an inadequate emergency transportation system: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the provincial government to adopt the BC Forest Safety Ombudsman recommendations on Helicopter Emergency Medical Services including mandating a legislated one-hour timeline for every resident of the province to have access to Trauma 3 Level of care.
Ministry of Health BC Emergency Health Services BCEHS and the Ministry of Health both understand the importance of providing emergency care when and where it is needed, while keeping emergency services staff and patients safe in the delivery of that care. Although distance, weather and a number of other factors can affect emergency response, air ambulances are dispatched according to the care needs of each patient, and the level of urgency required. In June 2017, BCEHS started utilizing a fixed-wing air ambulance based in Fort St. John to better serve north-east communities, enabling long distance emergency transports to the major trauma facilities in Kelowna and Vancouver. In August 2017, BCEHS announced that the contracted provider for 3 of its 4 dedicated helicopters will be adding night vision technology. It is expected that this technology, when installed next year, will mean at least 140 more patients a year can be transported via helicopter. BCEHS provides excellent pre-hospital and patient transfer care by air, and has implemented training for all front-line staff on how to approach high-risk remote situations. Search and rescue SAR operations are the responsibility of more than 80 SAR volunteer groups across the province. These groups maintain the requisite skills, equipment, and other resources to access remote locations that BCEHS paramedics are not able to. BCEHS coordinates with SAR groups to transport patients from remote areas to care facilities. WorkSafeBC requires employers operating in remote areas, like those operating commercial enterprises in the logging, mining, fishing and ski resort sectors, to be responsible for transporting out patients injured in remote areas. The Ministry of Health and BCEHS will continue work towards improving health care in rural and remote communities.