Medvedev paramedics in Saskatoon and Moose Jaw are launching a pilot project on Wednesday to reduce the number of hoax calls they respond to during the winter months.
The “Blue Tape Program” will help drivers identify accident scenes or abandoned vehicles that paramedics have already attended. Blue tape on the scene would mean there is no need to call 911.
The idea for the program came from colleagues in Nova Scotia who started the program in 2018.
Medavi Health Services West Launches Blue Tape Program
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“We are seeing a high volume of hoax calls that paramedics are answering, and we think this program will help reduce that number,” said Troy Davis, Medavi’s director of public affairs.
“Any time we have paramedics on a highway or road with oncoming traffic, there is a potential risk. Reducing the number of times this happens is worth it for us to try this pilot program.”
Davis said that too often, paramedics have already removed patients from a scene but leave the vehicle in a ditch or on the side of the road. The Good Samaritan sees the vehicle driving by and assumes a patient is still inside, resulting in a 911 call to the scene already handled.
“We make roughly 700 to 800 false calls a year which is a significant amount for us to answer calls we don’t need and which is taking us away from other calls.”
Blue Medvee caution tape will be wrapped from mirror to mirror on the outside of abandoned vehicles.
The pilot program not only seeks to reduce the number of false calls but is also designed to keep paramedics safe.
“Whenever we are on the scene or on a highway or ditch where our paramedics are investigating a vehicle, there is a potential risk to our employees,” Davis said.
The pilot program will run for one year. If it is successful, it will be offered to first responders as well.
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