BC PARAMEDICS LEADERSHIP MEETING COMMUNITY LEADERS AT 2022 UBCM
For Immediate Release
BC PARAMEDICS LEADERSHIP MEETING COMMUNITY LEADERS AT 2022 UBCM
Whistler, BC – As municipal leaders and representatives from across BC get set to attend the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) starting on September 12th, the Ambulance Paramedics of BC are preparing to advocate for improved Paramedic Services throughout British Columba.
“We do not have enough people to provide the services that British Columbians have come to expect and the only way to do that is to train more,” says Premier John Horgan.
Ambulances are sitting idle unstaffed
BCEHS has not kept up with appropriate recruitment for years, and only in the last three months have they made hiring a priority. This will take years to affect our day-to-day staffing. As communities across BC see over 30% of their ambulances sitting empty, the Ambulance Paramedics of BC, representing over 4,500 Paramedics and Dispatchers, are bringing solutions to the table.
“We are bringing the concerns of our members, patients, and community leaders forward. We all see our ambulances sitting empty, the effects it’s having on patient care, and the deaths reported in the media. We need to address these issues now,” says Troy Clifford, Provincial President of the APBC. “Our paramedics have the advanced medical training and skills that can save lives in conjunction with transport to hospital. Ultimately, without these two components, nothing matters. We are your essential frontline emergency responders for all medical emergencies.”
APBC has solutions to ease public safety and frontline healthcare burdens, plus recruit and retain paramedics and emergency medical dispatchers. The APBC will ask municipal leaders to support high-quality, timely access to paramedics by calling upon BCEHS and the Ministry of Health to continue implementing the action plan to address sufficient resources in their communities.
Paramedics and Dispatchers are underpaid for the critical work they provide
Did you know that Paramedics are paid, on average AT LEAST 30% less than all other First Responders and many health care professionals? This makes recruitment very hard, and we are seeing paramedics leave our profession in droves. Most Paramedics working in rural and remote areas are paid ONLY $2 an hour to carry a pager in an outdated, On Call model, which is not a living wage. These wage disparities make it so we cannot compete with police, fire or nurses when it comes to recruiting staff.
We have dire mental health and wellness impacts
Over 30% of our staff are either off work getting treatment for PTSD or are still working while trying to get help. Our daily workloads are the highest in Canada and coupled with the staffing crisis – we are at a breaking point. Our members need investments in Mental Health and Wellness funding for injuries suffered on the job. We need to support our Paramedics and Dispatchers as they work in these unprecedented times and help them get healthy so they can transition back to work.
Media Inquiries (call, text, or email):
Troy Clifford, APBC President, at (250) 319-4713 or troy.clifford@apbc.ca or info@apbc.ca
Please visit our website at www.apbc.ca for more information.