Recent changes to the way ambulances respond to calls will reduce the number of lights and siren responses but save more lives, according to the British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS).
"The primary reason for this change is increasing safety for the public, patients and paramedics by ensuring we are not driving with lights and siren unnecessarily," said Kelsie Carwithen, BCAS media relations person.
She explained that under a code three response, ambulance drivers use lights and sirens and may drive over the speed limit, while a routine response means ambulances must stay within the speed limit and lights and sirens are unnecessary.
"For example, there is a certain level of risk to the public when an emergency vehicle is driving code three through a busy intersection or stretch of highway," Carwithen said. "We are making these changes as a preventative measure to ensure we are reducing risk to the public, patients and paramedics."
She stressed that ambulances will still attend every call.
The BCAS made the changes to its resource allocation plan (RAP) at the end of October. The RAP is periodically updated and it outlines how many and what type of ambulances should respond to a particular 911 call, whether ambulances should use lights and sirens and whether first responders should be notified of the call.
The changes mean that more calls will now be designated as "routine" and that first responders will be called less often to attend medical calls. Advance life support ambulances will also now be reserved for those patients requiring specialized care.
"These changes are expected to result in 800,000 fewer kilometres of lights and siren driving for ambulances each year," Carwithen added.
