Cornwall ON – Cornwall SD&G Emergency Medical Services and Paramedics will celebrate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week from May 15-21, 2011.
EMS Week is a special time set aside to honour and recognize the dedication of paramedics in our community. Paramedics work diligently everyday to save lives, promote recovery and prevent injuries from getting worse in an emergency.
This week is recognized nationally and promotes Emergency Medical Services and Paramedics as the frontline safety net of Canada’s health care system. Chief Myles Cassidy has been in the EMS field for over 20 years and is extremely proud of this community’s Paramedics.
“The highly trained paramedics who serve Cornwall and the United Counties of SD&G respond todisaster scenes, medical emergencies, motor vehicleaccidents as well as other emergencies providing everyone with access to quality emergency care,” says Cassidy. “Appropriate medical care in an out-of-hospital setting dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury.”
To ensure quality care, paramedics engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuingeducation to acquire and enhance their lifesaving skills.
Every day Paramedics in your community go to work prepared to meet the unexpected. They equip themselves both mentally and physically to deal with the challenges they will face in serving the community and its citizens. In 2010, Paramedics in Cornwall and SD&G responded to over 12,000 emergency calls.
Ambulances are constantly day and night to ensure safe and rapid response to any call for service. Much has changed in the past 10 years to meet the growing demands for emergency medical services,. The Public Access Defibrillator program has seen the installation of 106 defibrillators in public places throughout Cornwall and SD&G for use by any trained citizen. A new EMS Headquarters has been built and opened in April 2011.
In the future, demand and complexity will continue to grow, and plans are in place to ensure a continued high level of service to the Community. These plans include the addition of Emergency Response Units and new paramedics.
