A picture that first started circulating on social media late Tuesday afternoon has Winnipeg Regional Health Authorities defending the image saying that Emergency Rooms were dealing with high volumes because of the Flu but at no time were there more than six ambulances on site at any time on January 2, 2018.
The ambulance bay at St. Boniface holds two ambulances. In the photo below seven ambulances can be clearly seen waiting in the driveway outside the ambulance bay on January 2nd.
According to a statement released by the WRHA “One of the strategies we use to create capacity in Emergency Departments and inpatient areas is to open additional beds, expedite patient discharges who can safely be discharged from hospital, or move those who may need a different level of care. Those moves can require ambulance transport at times to ensure the transfer is completed safely. That can contribute to the number of ambulances at any one site at one time.”
The WRHA said that paramedics may have to wait up to 45 minutes when transferring patients but that is part of their normal routine. They said that on January 2nd two additional units were working in the city and that through an agreement with the City of Winnipeg additional units may be brought online as the need arises.
-Staff-
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