Emergency Medical Services: Service Description

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provides ambulance services to residents of Health Regions in Saskatchewan. All emergency ambulance services can be reached by dialling 9-1-1.

RQHR EMS is committed to being at the right place, at the right time, with the right service.

RQHR is recognized as one of the most integrated health care organizations in the country. RQHR EMS has the resources of the organization to call upon and has a strong working relationship with its stakeholders.

Over the last 20 years Emergency Medical Services within RQHR has grown in scope, complexity, and volume. Today, paramedics are providing advanced life support with state-of-the-art technology.

• Providing emergency communications (dispatch) service to 39 rural emergency medical services, 65 fire departments and 55 Medical First Responder groups in southern Saskatchewan.
• Reducing cross-contamination by facilitating the cleaning and storage of soiled EMS equipment entering Regina via outside emergency medical services.
• Offering comprehensive continuing education opportunities to the eleven services within RQHR as well as "specific systems approach" training and education for all services within southern Saskatchewan.
• Available to provide limited support to services outside Regina in the event of a major emergency or disaster involving chemical, biological and/or mass casualty events.

RQHR EMS is committed to all clients, both urban and rural, within this regional health authority. RQHR EMS operates Regina, Indian Head and Whitewood EMS and has contracts with eight emergency medical services in the RQHR.

• HUTCH Ambulance Services, based in Moosomin
• Cupar Lions Volunteer Ambulance, based in Cupar
• Imperial Volunteer Ambulance Service, based in Imperial
• J.T. Ambulance Service, based in Grenfell
• Prairie Ambulance Care, based in Balcarres
• Soo Line Ambulance, based in the town of Milestone
• Touchwood EMS, based in Lestock
• Valley Ambulance Care, based in Fort Qu'Appelle

HUTCH Ambulance Services, based in Moosomin, provides Basic Life Support service with some advanced pre-hospital care.

The Cupar ambulance service is provided by a volunteer, non-profit organization contracted to the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region. Servics is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Imperial ambulance service is provided by a volunteer, non-profit organization contracted to the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region. Service is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Indian Head and District Ambulance Service provides Basic Life Support service with some advanced pre-hospital care. The service answers approximately 680 calls each year.

J.T. Ambulance Service, based in Grenfell, provides Advanced Life Support service. The service answers approximately 720 calls each year.

Prairie Ambulance Care, based in Balcarres, provides Basic Life Support service. The services answers approximately 350 calls each year.

EMS Central Operations in Regina is located at 1350 Albert Street.

EMS in Regina employs about 120 staff, including Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians, Communications Specialists and administrative staff. In addition, paramedics are now delivering specialized services such as:

• Paramedic intercepts to rural basic life support ambulance services that are en route to one of the Region's tertiary care centers
• Emergent/urgent neo-natal and pediatric inter-facility transports
• Providing unscheduled medical support and interventions to Home Care clients at night
• IV starts at Wascana Rehabilitation Centre
• Incident Command (manages major emergencies/disasters)
• Mass gathering medical care
• Mass casualty incident response, and
• Chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear response

Each year EMS responds to about 22,220 calls. Paramedics from Regina co-respond with the rural ambulance services to provide Advanced Life Support throughout the Region.

Soo Line Ambulance, based in the town of Milestone, is a volunteer, non-profit organization that provides ambulance service to residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Touchwood EMS, based in Lestock provides a Basic Life Support service and some Advanced Life Support service. The service answers approximately 700 calls each year.

Valley Ambulance Care Ltd, based in Fort Qu'Appelle provides Basic and Advanced Life Support to residents with two units, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It employs Primary and Intermediate Care Paramedics and answers over 1,000 calls each year. The service also provides advanced life support intercepts to other rural basic life support ambulance services.

Whitewood District Ambulance Service, based in Whitewood, provides Basic Life Support services. The service answers approximately 144 calls each year.