Ambulances responding more quickly to Island 911 calls says province

Paramedics are getting to the scene of 911 calls more quickly in the last three months, says Health PEI.

Ambulance response times have improved by 49 seconds on average across the province dropping from 9:12three months agodown to 8:23as of the end of last month.

Health PEI credits the addition of another ambulance, stationed in the St. Peter's area servingKings County andthe capital region, and a new computerized dispatch system which Island EMS has been using since October last year.

"Through recent investments in an additional ambulance and new computerized dispatch technology, Island EMS is now able to strategically locate ambulances where they are needed most, making the best possible use of these health care resources," noted Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson in a news release.

The total number of 911calls ambulances responded to increased from 2,777 to 2,835 a two per cent increase over the same period.

Average response time for the Island's six ambulance coverage zones:

• Souris region 3:45 seconds faster drops to8:06 from 11:51
• Montague region 52 seconds faster dropsto 11:32 from 12:24
• Charlottetown area 13 seconds faster dropsto 8:37 from 8:50
• Summerside region 12 seconds faster dropsto 7:11 from 7:23
• O'Leary region 1:25 slower risesto 11:45 from 10:20
• Alberton region 22 seconds faster drops to 11:29 from 11:51

The Computerized Assisted Dispatch (CAD) software uses GPS so dispatchers can see where the closest ambulance is to the call. It also tracks response times, call volumes and the nature of the calls, all of which have allowed Island EMS to analyse the best place to locate ambulances for quicker response times, according to Health PEI.

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