SEPTEMBER 2020
THE SOUTH SHUSWAP SCOOP
First Responders Health Advice at 8-1-1
By Sandra Reutlinger Did you know that BC Ambulance 911 calls are colour coded? Purple and Red are the calls that your local South Shuswap First Responders will be getting called out to. Thankfully, we now have the proper personal protective equipment and have been cleared to respond. Inperson training sessions are back on schedule and we are thankful to be serving our community again. However, at this time, we won't be going out to minor calls, only those that are life threatening so if you don't see us show up it is due to the nature of the incident. At the top of the priority are conditions such as cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest and total airway obstruction. If you call with other conditions such as minor infection, nausea etc then you may be able to resolve your problem with some advice on the phone from a nurse. Often, people need help but don't necessarily need to go the emergency department. BC 911 receives approximately 130,000 calls a year that don’t require transport to an emergency department. Did you know you can call 811 for all kinds of health advice including
"should I call an ambulance or just make an appointment with my doctor". 8-1-1 is a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line available in British Columbia. The 8-1-1 phone line is operated by HealthLink BC, which is part of the Ministry of Health. By calling 8-1-1, you can speak to a health service navigator, who can help you find health information and services; or connect you directly with a registered nurse, a registered dietitian, a qualified exercise professional, or a pharmacist. Any one of these healthcare professionals will help you get the information you need to manage your health concerns, or those of your family. Having local emergency medical responders are essential to our community and your first responders are trained volunteers who believe in assisting our community members with their health and wellbeing. You are welcome to talk to us for more information on how you can volunteer to help or donate toward the costs of equipment or to purchase a reflective address sign for your house: 250-833-5060.
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