VICTORIA – The BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) is proud to participate in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week from May 20-26, 2012.
EMS Week is an opportunity for the public to recognize the contributions BCAS paramedics make in their communities. EMS week is celebrated throughout North America.
“Our commitment is to improve the health outcomes for the people we serve,” said BCAS Chief Operating Officer Les Fisher. “Everyone on our team – from the paramedics, to dispatch staff, to support staff – is dedicated to providing the best care possible for patients in the communities we serve in British Columbia.”
“The profession of ‘being a paramedic’ is evolving,” said Michael Nolan, president, EMS Chiefs of Canada. “This diverse profession ranges from paramedics working in industrial settings, flight operations and in ambulances that provide care in our towns and cities.”
“It’s an honour to serve the people of British Columbia,” said Brad Cameron, BCAS Acting District Supervisor. “Helping in emergencies, caring for patients, ensuring quality care – those are what every paramedic and all dispatch staff work to achieve.”
BCAS responds to the needs of more than 4.4 million British Columbians and attends calls for service across six heath authorities covering 944,700 square kilometres. BCAS employs nearly 3,700 paramedic and dispatch staff who respond from 184 ambulance stations and three dispatch centres.
Last year, BCAS paramedics responded to more than 486,000 events through its fleet of 540 vehicles, including 478 ambulances and 62 support vehicles. BCAS also has a fleet of 10 dedicated ambulance aircraft staffed with critical care paramedics who transported more than 7,700 patients throughout the province.