BC Emergency Health ServicesDemands on Local Governments

Whereas medical first responder call volume data taken locally and provincially reflects an upward trajectory year over year; And whereas this increased trajectory of medical first responder call volume is disproportionately higher for municipal emergency responders than those reported by British Columbia Emergency Health Services BCEHS; And whereas BCEHS is responsible for the delivery, co-ordination and governance of emergency health services and can and does consent to other organizations, primarily fire departments, providing these services as part of a co-ordinated response; And whereas a number of challenges are present in achieving a coordinated approach to the access and provision of emergency health services including that of increased service demands congruent to the varied capacity for fire departments to provide first responder services across the province: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM urge the Ministry of Health to work with local governments and BCEHS to improve the coordinated approach to emergency health services that results in adequate funding and staffing levels so as to not overburden local government first responders.