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General Information about the British Columbia Ambulance ServiceCONTENTSSee also: Overview of the British Columbia Ambulance Service AdministrationThe province is divided into geographical administrative districts, each under the authority of a Superintendent, who reports to one of four Regional Directors in Victoria, Vancouver, Kamloops and Prince George. The BCAS Executive Director, Headquarters Directors and provincial management staff are located at the Headquarters in Victoria. Telecommunications and Ambulance Fleet Operations are also directed from Victoria. Labour RelationsThe BCAS unionized workforce of paramedics and dispatch personnel are represented by the Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia, CUPE Local 873. Support personnel are affiliated with the British Columbia Government Employees Union (BCGEU). Occupational Health and Safety
The physical demands of field paramedic work, combined with the size of an aging BCAS workforce is contributing to a high incidence of on-the-job injuries. The BCAS incurs costs of about $3.5-million annually in compensable injuries. The Workers' Compensation Board has also introduced more stringent regulations which have an impact on BCAS operations. Accordingly, the service is taking steps to reduce injuries by furthering the compliance of our employees with established health and safety procedures. There are a number of initiatives being implemented, including the dedication of five regional safety officers at the management level who are working to further the education and compliance of our field employees with on-the-job safety and health concerns at the station level. Other initiatives include development of a formal Occupational Health and Safety manual, a safety audit process, a report on musculo-skeletal injuries (a high proportion of injuries are related to lifting), Changing our Safety Culture workshops for unit chiefs and management staff and ongoing liaison with the WCB. Honours and Awards ProgramVital Link AwardThe Vital Link Award is presented by the British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS) to citizens who are involved in saving a life through successful cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts. Recipient Profiles
Good Samaritan AwardThe Good Samaritan Award is presented by the British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS) to individuals who have provided unselfish and humanitarian assistance during a medical emergency. Recipient Profiles
Air Ambulance Service
The BCAS Airevac Program transfers patients when it is medically desirable and economically advisable. Dedicated aircraft, commercial, charter and armed forces aircraft are used. Depending upon the patient's needs, specially trained BCAS airevac paramedics and/or other health care professionals accompany patients being transported by air. Bike SquadsThe BCAS was one of the first North American EMS agencies to organize and deploy paramedics on bicycles for major public events where crowds can limit access and speed of response for normal ambulance vehicles. The level of practice of bike squad paramedics extends to Advanced Life Support capability. Bike squads are utilized at the Vancouver Airport terminal, and at special events such as the Vancouver Molson Indy and Symphony of Fire fireworks displays. Bike squad paramedics report a high level of personal satisfaction from the activity as a good combination of professional practice with the individual's enjoyment of cycling. Bike paramedics are often approached by curious members of the public and are excellent ambassadors for the BCAS and paramedic profession. Active bike squads are located in Vancouver, Victoria and Kamloops. BCAS Telecommunications
Telecommunications is responsible for all aspects of the radio system design and deployment of equipment to the field. The communications equipment inventory is valued at about $5 million, and part of the Telecommunications Department's responsibility includes the maintenance, upgrade and replacement of equipment as well as licensing requirements. The Telecommunications Department also manages about 70 mountain top repeater sites, 200 radio/interconnect installations, and all other telecommunications services. In addition to the manager and three on staff technologists, the Telecommunications Department contracts to various repair shops for support of the radio network, the mobile radios and interconnect base stations. Emergency Medical Assistants (EMA) Licensing BoardAll paramedics licensed by the EMA Licensing Board in BC must maintain their skill level by completing continuing medical education or evaluations prescribed by the EMA Licensing Board. Licenses are currently issued by the Registrar of EMA Licensing in accordance with the Health Emergency Act and EMA regulations. In 2002, the government announced that paramedics and first responders will become self regulated under the Health Professions Act by creating a new College of Emergency Medical Assistants. The details of this change are currently under development. Paramedic EducationThe Paramedic Academy of the Justice Institute of British Columbia offers paramedic training to the public and to BCAS employees. The Paramedic Academy is located in New Westminster. The Academy has developed the Paramedic Training Network (PTN) that provides training through a combination of distance education and traditional classroom programs at 15 regional training centres across the province. Quality Improvement (QI) Program
Consistent standards of access and service delivery enhance the confidence of patients, stakeholders, staff and management in BCAS operations. Where optimum operational standards have been identified, the quality improvement process will help to ensure that the intended quality is being achieved or that steps are taken to achieve and maintain the desired quality. In addition to maintaining standards, the QI process will also interpret the data collected in order to identify and initiate opportunities for improving service delivery. QI ProjectsAlthough the focus of the QI program is constantly changing in order to meet the needs of the service, the following is a list of current projects:
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Published: December 10, 2000 | Last Edit: Friday, April 18, 2008 |
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