Changes could be coming to the provincial Medical Co-Response program, and the County of Grande Prairie isn’t happy.
The new Medical First Responder program involves new standards and requirements, including registration with the Alberta College of Paramedics.
County Councillor and Bezanson Fire Department Station Captain Harold Bulford argues all the changes make it more expensive, especially for volunteers in the County.
“They should make it more affordable and easier for them to be in the program, or we’re going to lose the MCR program, because these people aren’t going to jump out of bed at 3 in the morning to go hold the door open for paramedics or put a blanket on somebody, because they won’t be able to do anything that they’ve been trained to do at the [Emergency Medical Responder] level.”
If they’re not registered, they can only provide First Aid and CPR, and their bi-weekly training doesn’t count towards the credits they need.
Bulford would rather see the ACP make a couple of trips a year to register to first responders.
He’ll be bringing his concerns to both local MLAs next week, and County Reeve Leanne Beaupre is bringing her concerns to a meeting of reeves and mayors later this month.