A new emergency medical services (EMS) station will be built in Iles des Chênes to support quality emergency care services in Southern Health-Santé Sud. This announcement was made by Health Minister Erin Selby.
“We believe in investing in a strong emergency services system to support quality care for patients close to home,” said Minister Selby. “Developing a modern EMS station will support increased response times while helping the region recruit and retain staff more effectively.”
The 2,000-sq.-ft. facility will include space for two ambulances as well as crew offices, a shower and washrooms. It is expected the facility will meet Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart Building requirements for a commitment to energy-efficient building design and environmental leadership.
“Emergency medical services are one of the key components in our health-care system,” said Kathy McPhail, chief executive officer, Southern Health-Santé Sud. “This announcement speaks to our partnerships with Manitoba Health and local municipal officials to ensure that all residents in our region have access to consistent, safe, people-centred quality health care.”
The minister noted the announcement builds on other recent investments in emergency services including:
- introducing the southern air ambulance inter-facility transport initiative, which covers the cost of flights to Winnipeg for medical testing and treatment for patients who would otherwise face an ambulance ride longer than two and a half hours to Winnipeg;
- providing $9.7 million to purchase and retrofit a replacement Lifeflight jet for life‑saving medical care and transportation from isolated rural hospitals and nursing stations to care centres in Winnipeg;
- replacing the entire ambulance fleet since 1999, replacing 60 of those units again since 2009 and adding 15 new ambulances to bring the total fleet to 175;
- permanently hiring additional paramedics province-wide and partnering with Red River College to deliver a primary-care paramedic program at the college’s main campus and at three rural and northern sites; and
- providing an estimated $7 million each year to fund the full patient cost of inter-facility transports.
In addition, the province is taking steps to strengthen how emergency services are delivered in Manitoba, the minister said. Work is underway to implement recommendations made by the EMS system review, which includes strengthening the system by implementing innovative programs and services that build on these previous investments in service delivery, she added.
For more information on emergency medical services in Manitoba, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/health/ems.
