Paramedics are essential. Help make them officially be designated an Essential Service.

Paramedics are essential. Help make them officially be designated an Essential Service.

Started
March 20, 2020
Petition to
Signatures: 112,126Next Goal: 150,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Autumn Belnap

What do law enforcement, border safety and security, correctional services, marine safety, search and rescue and many other important services have in common?

They are classified as an Essential Service. 

Notice a service missing from any and all Essential Services lists you can find?

Paramedics!

Did you know that paramedics are NOT classified as an essential service? It may be hard to believe but the government of Canada does not consider your paramedics as essential to you or necessary for your health and safety!

When a health emergency happens who do you turn to for help to get till you can arrive at a hospital? Paramedics are so much more than a drive to your emergency department. Paramedics can and do provide life saving skills on scene and onroute as well as staying at the hospital to assist when needed. Paramedics have spent between 2 and 4 years of training to become a Primary Care Paramedics, an Advanced Care Paramedic, or a Critical Care Paramedic. They also have any other specialty teams such as Tactical teams and Community paramedics to name a few. Just look at a partial list of skills that can be performed depending on the level of care and location. 

12 Lead ECG, Posterior, Right & STEMI Diagnosis
Advanced Airway (Endotracheal Intubation)
Advanced Airway (Supraglottic LMA / KingLT)
Advanced Airway (Tracheal Tube Introducer Device)
Airway Foreign Body Removal (McGill Forceps)
Airway Suctioning & Deep Suctioning
Capnometry & Capnography (ETCO2)
CPAP Therapy (PEEP)
CVAD Infusion
Defibrillation (Manual External)
Intraosseous Therapy
Intravenous Therapy
Needle Cricothyrotomy
Needle Thoracostomy
SpO2 / SpCO
Synchronized Cardioversion
Taser Probe Removal
Transcutaneous Pacing

What about medications? Did you know that paramedics can provide many different medications depending on their skill set and location? Just look at some of those medications listed below with more being added this year!

Acetaminophen (PO)
Adenosine (IV)
Amiodarone (IV, IO)
Antibiotics (TOP)
ASA (PO)
Atropine (IV, IO)
Calcium Gluconate (IV, IO)
Dextrose (IV, IO)
Dimenhydrinate (IV, IM)
Diphenhydramine (IV, IM, PO)
Dopamine (IV, IO)
Epinephrine (IV, IM, NEB, IO, ETT)
Glucagon (IM, SC)
Glucose (PO)
Ibuprofen (PO)
Ketorolac (IV, IM)
 Lidocaine (IV, IO, ETT, TOP)
 Midazolam (IV, IM, IN, BC)
Morphine (IV, IM, IO, SC)
NaCl 0.9% (IV, IO)
Naloxone (IV, IM, IN, SC, IO)
Nitroglycerine (SL)
Oxygen (100%)
Salbutamol (MDI, NEB, BVM)
Sodium Bicarbonate (IV, IO)
 Xylometazoline / Phenylephrine (IN)

Paramedics can also take you to the best hospital for your emergency based on their local bypass directives. Meaning they get you to the highest level of care you need, be it a Trauma center, or a Cath lab etc, they can pass other hospitals that may not have what you need so you get where you need to be when every minute counts. 

Paramedics are a highly trained group of people who are there for you when you need it most. They are a part of your healthcare and emergency teams and are not something you can do without. 

Now in this pandemic crisis paramedics are on the front line helping those in need, in some locations even going to people homes and providing COVID-19 testing in addition to their regular roles. 

Paramedics need you now more than ever to help them get the classification they should have had a long time ago. We need your signature, your voice, your stories even. We need you so we can best help you and your loved ones.  

HELP MAKE PARAMEDICS ESSENTIAL! 

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Signatures: 112,126Next Goal: 150,000
Support now
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