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Being biosecure in the field
Rail car plan wins Biz whizzes focus on producer cars » Pg 9
Protecting potatoes from disease » Pg 33
April 30, 2015
SERVING MANITOBA FARMERS SINCE 1925 | Vol. 73, No. 18
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$1.75
manitobacooperator.ca
A long wait for an important ride
Avian flu on Manitoba’s doorstep The best line of defence is at the farm gate and barn door
In the event of an emergency on your operation, are you prepared for the 30- to 60-minute wait for help to arrive?
By Shannon VanRaes co-operator staff
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anitoba’s egg and poultry producers are on high alert as avian influenza spreads to neighbouring jurisdictions. More than 75,000 birds have already been euthanized at two farms in Ontario and farms in the American Midwest have seen more than seven million birds destroyed this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Now cases have been found in areas bordering Manitoba. “What we’ve been doing with our producers is just keeping them up to date with the developments, particularly those in Minnesota,” said Cory Rybuck, general manager of Manitoba Egg Farmers. “There were a couple of confirmed cases in Roseau County, which is right along the Manitoba border,” he said. A s re p o r t e d by t h e G r a n d Fo r k s H e r a l d , 26,000 turkeys have been
The province is planning changes to reduce the rural wait for emergency services. photo: jennifer paige By Jennifer Paige Co-operator Staff
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See AVIAN FLU on page 6 »
he distance between rural communities, weather, dated road information and deteriorating road conditions are all obstacles for Manitoba’s first responders trying to reach on-farm emergencies. Adding pressure, EMS stations in Manitoba are mandated to meet a 30-minute response, from the time the emergency call comes in to the time the ambulance reaches the patient. “There are processes in place to ensure an ambulance arrives as soon as possible,” Corene Debreuil, director of emergency services with Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors. “If an ambulance in one community is addressing a case, the Manitoba Transportation Co-ordination Centre (MTCC) will reposition an ambulance from community A to a location between communities A and B when the community B ambulance is busy. This redeployment is called geo-posting and is done to ensure both communities have minimal response times.” A response compliance report by EMS stations in rural Manitoba, compiled by the MTCC, shows 50 per cent of rural EMS stations in Manitoba aren’t reaching the mandate. Seventeen of 34 stations in the southwestern region of Manitoba are not
reaching the province’s 30-minute window, based on averages of data collected from each station from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014. “It is the responsibility of municipalities to provide this updated information to MTCC so paramedics have the most up-to-date information available,” said Debreuil. “In rural areas, it is always a good idea for residents to be familiar with their rural address and to have a rural address marker at the end of the lane or driveway. It’s also important to keep address markers visible by ensuring they are not overgrown or covered by snow.” Ac c o rd i n g t o Ma n i t o b a He a l t h , response times could be skewed during a slow month or high calls in one month and station statistics can become inflated when other stations are closed, increasing service areas. “It’s very difficult to compare stations or regions, because every site has its own unique challenges. There are a number of factors that can affect response times, such as the distances in the area of coverage, staffing models and weather,” said Debreuil. Currently, Manitoba Health is working to design a provincial model that will reduce ambulance wait times and increase the quality of care. A large-scale review of the provincial EMS system recommended in March 2013 that 18 EMS stations be closed
across Manitoba. Eleven of those stations are in southwestern Manitoba. The closures would allow for strategic placement of primary-care paramedic stations, which are staffed full time. “Provincial data shows that systems with on-call paramedics can lead to longer response times, because the paramedics must first travel to the station and the ambulance before they are able to head to the scene of the emergency,” said Debreuil. “The province has been moving away from on-call systems to implementing full-time, primary-care positions.”
A pricey ride
Besides ensuring their property can be easily located, Manitoba producers may also want to carry insurance that covers ambulance transportation to avoid a costly bill following a medical emergency. Fees for ambulance transportation vary between provinces and cities as they depend on subsidies from the province and municipalities. Statistics Canada says Manitoba has the highest ambulance fees in the country. The Prairie Mountain Health Region has the highest flat rate in the country at $530. In addition to the flat fee, depending on the situation, fees can increase by kilometres travelled, non-residency and the need for advanced life support. See SAFE FARMS on page 7 »
STATSCAN: Farmers plan less canola, more wheat » PAGE 19