Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) officials today provided the public with the first of its weekly updates on the Department’s planning and preparedness in the event of potential cases of the Ebola Virus Disease.
“I want to reassure the public that the WFPS is prepared to handle a call involving a potential Ebola-infected patient,” said WFPS Chief John Lane. “Although the risk of infection remains extremely low in Winnipeg, the WFPS will continue to practice and strengthen our processes for responding to a possible case of Ebola and other infectious diseases. Regular communication with our partner agencies such as the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has provided the WFPS with access to the most up-to-date procedures in dealing with Ebola.”
The WFPS’s Medical Director, Dr. Rob Grierson, echoed the Chief’s confidence in the Department’s level of planning and preparedness: “I am very pleased with the work that the WFPS has undertaken in preparing for a potential case of Ebola in the city. The risk of Ebola occurring in Winnipeg remains very low but citizens can be confident that WFPS responders responsible for the care and transport of a possible Ebola case have the required equipment and training needed to maintain public safety.”
As part of its preparedness for Ebola, the WFPS’s Communications Centre has adopted a screening process for emergency calls to assist in identifying possible scenarios where the WFPS responders responsible for the care and transport of a possible Ebola infected patient are required to use enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE).
Since implementation of the screening process on October 10, 2014, at 5:00 p.m.:
| Total number of 911 calls received by WFPS | 2700* |
| Total number of calls meeting the requirement for enhanced screening via phone | 842* |
| Total number of calls that met consideration for Ebola precautions (enhanced PPE use) | 4* |
| Total number of calls where paramedics were required to transport a suspected case of Ebola | 0* |
*Information current as of Friday, October 24, 2014 at 7:30 a.m.
Preparations for Ebola are consistent with requirements for other infectious diseases, including more common influenzas and gastrointestinal illnesses. The legacy of the WFPS’s current planning activities will be greater responder and citizen protection from all infectious diseases in the future.
For information on Ebola Virus Disease, please visit Government of Manitoba - Public Health.