Firefighters in B.C. have been directed by the provincial health officer to stop responding to medical emergency calls unless they present an immediate threat to the patient’s life.
Those calls are generally colour-coded “purple” by 9-1-1 dispatchers. The idea is to limit potential exposure to COVID-19 by first responders without proper gear, according to both health and fire officials.
But Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services public information officer Jonathan Gormick says the shift in response could have unintended consequences when it comes to people suffering overdoses. “There may be a gap in this modification of service,” he said. “There’s a proportion of the population that’s going to be disproportionately affected by this.” Gormick