Firsts

BCEHS is a leader in inclusivity and diversity, by being the first paramedic organization in Canada to offer the uniform Pride Pin. The pin, which fuses the colours of the pride rainbow flag with the internationally recognized Star of Life, is available to any BCEHS employee who requests it to wear on the right side pocket of their uniform.
British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in Canada to have a province-wide program for the PulsePoint public notification service when BCEHS launched the free application. PulsePoint connects smartphone users to the BCEHS emergency dispatch system so that they can be alerted to sudden cardiac arrests near their location, quickly go to the patient and begin CPR while paramedics are en route.
St. Paul’s Hospital and BC Emergency Health Services are conducting a landmark trial that could increase the survival rate of seemingly healthy people who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting. The trial is called BC Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Trial for Refractory Out of-Hospital Cardiac (ECPR) and is the first of its kind in Canada. It involves a rapid, coordinated response by both paramedics and a cardio team at St. Paul’s Hospital.

As part of an initiative to reduce its carbon footprint BCEHS introduced the first hybrid ambulance into its service on July 17, 2018.
In October 2017, BCEHS and the City of Richmond opened the new Richmond North Ambulance Station and Richmond Cambie Fire Hall No. 3. The facility is the first combined fire hall and ambulance station in a major urban centre in BC.