“There is no express lane to emerge,” said Jones. “People often feel that if they call 911, and arrive on a stretcher they will be treated quicker, that’s just not true.”
Jones explained that when an ambulance arrives at PRHC with a patient, a triage nurse assesses the situation, speaks with the patient and the paramedic and they are treated based on the severity of their condition.
Patients arriving by ambulance may still have to wait hours to be seen, which means the paramedics that brought them have to wait with them. This means there are less paramedics available to respond to emergencies.
“It’s important for us to do some self reflection before we call 911,” said Jones. “Of course, when we’re struggling it feels like our personal emergency, but think ‘do I have a friend that might be able to get me there?’”
Jones emphasized that each situation is different and phoning 911 in the event of an emergency is important, but if other options are feasible they should be utilized.
On any given night shift Peterborough Paramedics have 7 units on the roads, and 10 units during the day shift. Each unit is staffed by two paramedics.
Jones notes they just hired a group of new paramedics that are now in the field, and they are ready to hire more.
Recently, Peterborough Paramedics enhanced their Community Paramedic Program.
Community Paramedics do not respond to 911 calls. Clients are referred to the program through various agencies in the city. Clients usually consist of people that live at home but may need extra support.
By organizing regular home visits or providing clients with monitoring systems that automatically alert Peterborough Paramedics of their state, 911 calls are drastically cut.
Currently, there are 11 members of the Community Paramedic Program. They do not utilize ambulances.
