Stettler and District Ambulance Association (SDAA) has announced big changes to its service in advance of Paramedic Services Week 2025.
According to Emergency Medical Services manager Linda Borg, the service has switched from a "core-flex" schedule where crews work 24 hours a day, to a day and night rotation of 12 hour shifts.
"It means we're not dealing with the fatigue of our employees anymore," said Borg.
Under the core-flex model, crews would have to work for a set number of core hours, doing unit checks, education, etc., if they weren't on calls, and then the rest of the day would be "flex" hours. The flex would be activated if the crews were called out.
Under the core-flex system, it would be possible for crews to work 12 non-consecutive hours, which could lead to crews being awake for 18 hours or longer, leading to fatigue.
With the new 12-hour shifts, crews work their 12 hours, days or nights, then are guaranteed to be off for 12 hours to rest.
"When the staff come on to their shift, they're fully rested and ready to work 12 hours again," said Borg. "We're not dropping cars because of fatigue."
SDAA continues to run two ambulances 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Stettler ambulance service is an Advanced Life Support service, which means that Advanced Care Paramedics can provide some of the same interventions and medications as an emergency room physician.
While a patient's emergency department visit will begin as soon as the ambulance staff arrive on location, there are some things that can be done to make their jobs easier, says Borg.
First, make sure you have your health care number available.
Second, if you have one, make sure the crew gets your Goals of Care form, or "Green Sleeve."
"These are important documents that we need to put you in our system so that we can look up your medical history, get your allergies, and get some history from the database, which helps us with patient care," said Borg.
The theme for Paramedic Services Week 2025, which runs from May 18-24, is "We care. For Everyone."
"What that means is not only do we have protocols and processes where we care for the families and friends as well in regards to information sharing, but being involved in the treatment process if needed be," said Borg. "So, it's all based on the patient and family-centred care. We make sure to include family and friends in regards to the treatment and the treatment plan."
As a way of helping crews and getting families involved in treatment, SDAA has launched a new program for the County of Stettler.
In a non-certificate program, ambulance staff will teach community members basic CPR skills, how to use an EPI-Pen, stop major bleeding and more, all for no charge.
The first session of the new program will be at the White Sands Community Hall on June 1 at 1 p.m.
SDAA is also partnering with the Stettler Public Library to host more CPR and Naloxone training sessions, also at no charge.
In celebration of Paramedic Services, SDAA will be holding an event at the Stettler Recreation Centre complete with barbecue, pool, bounce house and Stettler Regional Fire Department trucks on May 23.
The barbecue and equipment tours will begin at 5 p.m. and a free public swim will begin at 7 p.m.
