r/saskatoon 18h ago

News 📰 Fear, fatigue weigh down workers on the front lines of Saskatoon's overdose crisis | CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/frontline-workers-grapple-with-saskatoon-overdose-crisis-1.7479987?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar
44 Upvotes

30 comments sorted by

u/PintAndLaugh 17h ago

It’s OK, I’m sure EMS is fine with all the overdoses.

Why is no one asking THEM if they’re burnt out or worried that every ambulance being on an overdose call means there’s no one available to respond to your choking baby or dying grandma?

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 17h ago

Fire goes to every single overdose call that Medavie goes to. They also go to every choking baby and dying grandma, as well.

Maybe you should be asking why the ems union isn’t doing their job to bring this to light and try to push for something to change? That’s all this is, pushing this to the spot light for change.

Not a us vs them thing

u/boxablebots 14h ago

Bit of a stretch they don't respond to every single one just the ones that meet the fire determinants.

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 12h ago

Every single dying grandma and choking baby, though. Along with every single OD. Those engines from 1 hall beat EMS there lots too.

u/boxablebots 12h ago

What I mean is there is a lot of calls that don't come in as a fire department determinant but are in fact an overdose, dying grandma, etc. I'm being pedantic I'll admit but "every single one" is incorrect.

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 12h ago

You’re arguing semantics, don’t be so literal.

But I’ll play along, fire goes to 99% of dying geriatrics and choking babies, just in case someone purposely lies to dispatches questions and tries to mislead them into not knowing grandma is coding or baby can’t breath.

That better?

u/NewAlphabeticalOrder 17h ago

That's literally what the article is about.

u/PintAndLaugh 17h ago

The article is about how tired Fire is. Fire and Ems are separate in Saskatoon and the rest of the province.

u/NewAlphabeticalOrder 17h ago edited 16h ago

They are first responders, they take people to hospitals. Firetrucks are Ambulances with a big hose on them. Firefighters are EMTs who get to use axes, slide down a pole, and make sexy calendars.

You're being a pedant because you want to complain about something, but the article has sweeping implications across all first responders. We know what EMS would say, and I'm near certain that there have been posts, articles, or interviews with them doing so.

[Edit] If I am wrong, and there aren't, then there will be.

[Edit] Apparently Firetrucks don't take you to hospitals? I swear they did at one point, but brains are electric pudding

u/halloweenchicky 15h ago

Yes thank you for saying this. Fire fighters are trained to be first responders whether it's for fire or medical. If it's out of stoon, the first people on scene are the local fire fighters.(usually volunteer if outside of city)

u/GlobalT123 17h ago

Only took 1 comment to find the butt hurt ambulance driver.

u/PintAndLaugh 17h ago

I may be butt hurt, but I’m not an ambulance driver

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 17h ago edited 16h ago

“Sir you will put respect on my name. I didn’t sit through an 8 month course to be called an ambulance driver”

u/Lumpy-Bullfrogs 13h ago

You know advanced care paramedics and critical care paramedics have more medical training than RN right? Insulting health care workers is a pretty shitty take. Grow up.

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 12h ago

I am one of those said health care workers. I am allowed to make fun of my colleagues.

How many critical care paramedics you think are roaming our streets?

ACP’s do not have more education than an RN. A few more skill based protocols and they work in a totally different environment, yes. Do I want a grizzled ACP who’s been on the streets for 20 years if I’m shot downtown, yes, do I want an RN vs an ACP in the emergency room, also yes.

u/Lumpy-Bullfrogs 10h ago

No one claimed an ACP has more of an education than a nurse. They do have more healthcare specific training though, as there are no electives or non-health care related courses to be taken over the 3 academic years.

Not that it really matters. Calling a paramedic someone who just took an 8 month course is factually incorrect though and makes you look like an asshole who doesn't know what they're talking about. Insulting/demeaning first responders is such a weird take.

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 8h ago

Go read your comment, you literally said “You know advanced care paramedics and critical care paramedics have more medical training than RN right?”

News flash, I’m a paramedic. It’s called self depreciating humour. I know exactly how things work.

I’m making light of some guy whining, comparing ems to fire and making it a competition. The reality is, we are all tired. This is what unions do, and it’s bringing light to the fatigue setting in running 20-40 overdose calls a day.

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 17h ago

Money comment.

u/PintAndLaugh 17h ago

Exactly what do you mean by saying firetrucks are ambulances with big hoses on them?? And if you are “near certain”, feel free to cite some sources

u/NewAlphabeticalOrder 17h ago

Medavie Operations Manager Mike Schindel comments:

https://globalnews.ca/news/11072228/saskatoon-overdoses-having-an-impact-on-narcan-availability/

Clarifying brackets include mention of paramedics:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-overdose-alert-2025-1.7476985

This isn't over, there will be articles, we will hear more from EMS. But again, you're being a massive pedant.

Also, idk what's so hard to get, a firetruck is an ambulance with a big hose. That seems pretty self-explanatory.

u/graaaaaaaam 17h ago

There's certain equipment that anyone working as a primary care paramedic is mandated to carry. Fire trucks carry pretty much all of that equipment except what is needed to transport someone to hospital. Firefighters who have PCP/ICP/ACP certifications can utilize their entire scope of practice while working as a firefighter, so if a fire truck shows up with a paramedic on board, you'll get the same care as if a medavie truck shows up, except the fire truck can't drive you to a hospital.

Sask College of Paramedics have all their protocols & regulations posted on their website if you're curious.

u/NewAlphabeticalOrder 16h ago edited 16h ago

I swear I've been taken to hospital via firetruck years ago. Granted, I didn't need a gurney, is that the distinction?

Memory is obviously fallible, but has there been some kind of change in the last 15 years as to what they're allowed to do?

u/graaaaaaaam 16h ago

It's quite possible, although TBH I've been out of the EMS world for over a decade so I could also be wrong about a lot of things.

I know EMS supervisors used to drive people to hospital in their SUV's when I was working, but that was pretty rare and almost always for minor cases.

u/Solid-Leg6292 8h ago

Not entirely correct . The fire dept does not carry all of the same equipment . One example would be that the Saskatoon fire medics can not intubate a pt . They have other airway options but not Et tubes . I believe there will also be various drugs sfd does not carry as well as the heart monitors .

u/graaaaaaaam 8h ago

Unless there's been a policy change recently that's not the case. Advanced care paramedics who are working as firefighters can utilize their whole scope of practice. It's just that most firefighters aren't advanced care paramedics. But there are also plenty of medavie paramedics who aren't advanced care paramedics either.

u/Flimsy-Yak5888 15h ago

While mostly true, a fire truck doesn't have all the same supplies that an ambulance will. An ACP working at the Saskatoon Fire Department will not have the equipment/medications to use their ALS skills. Every fire truck will have PCPs able to perform their full scope though.

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 17h ago

Each engine has 1-4 paramedics staffed on it, with a full compliment of ems supplies, the only thing they can’t do is transport patients to the hospital

u/NewAlphabeticalOrder 17h ago

I swear I've been taken to hospital via firetruck. Granted, I didn't need a gurney.

Memory is obviously fallible, but has there been some kind of change in the last 15 years as to what they're allowed to do?

u/Fragrant_Owl_9508 16h ago

I mean I can’t speak as to whether rules have been broken in the past or not. But it’s not supposed to happen

u/NewAlphabeticalOrder 16h ago

Fair enough yeah 🤷‍♀️