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EMS Classics is a feature column I write for Canadian Paramedicine.

It is my attempt at giving the younger generation who work in EMS today, a snapshot into the history of ambulance service.

If you are interested in purchasing the images or the text copyright to any of the columns please email me at EMSClassics@shaw.ca

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Column 00F

Ambulance Personnel Training Timeline

The following is an incomplete list of some early Canadian ambulance personnel training programs.

1959 First Saskatchewan ambulance regulations
One person in the ambulance must have taken a Senior First Aid Course within the past 2 years (5 years for rural services) and must have attended a one-day advanced first aid course within the past 3 years
Source: The History of Sask. Ambulance & EMS page 25

1966 Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Department of Public Health began annual 2-day Ambulance Attendants courses
Source: The History of Sask. Ambulance & EMS page 47

1966 USA
St. Vincent Hospital in New York City was the first in the USA to begin a mobile coronary unit
Source: The Paramedics page 4

1969 Ontario
The Ontario Ministry of Health began one-month Fundamentals of Casualty Care courses at Camp Borden.
Source: Bruce Newton, Toronto EMS

1970 Canada's first mobile intensive care unit
Dr. Peter Cohen's Resuscicar mobile intensive care unit operated from Aaron's Ambulance Service in Calgary
Source: British Columbia report Twice an Orphan

1970 Saanich BC
The City of Saanich Fire Deprtment operated the first coronary care ambulance in BC
Source: The British Columbia Ambulance Service page 45

1971 Canada's first Paramedics
The City of Calgary's first paramedics graduated from SAIT
Source: EMS Classics page 81

1972 Quebec's first mobile intensive care unit
Dr. Peter Cohen relocated from Calgary to Montreal and set up a mobile intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital
Source: The Province

1972 Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan's first one-week Emergency Care Course for Ambulance Personnel
Source: The History of Sask. Ambulance & EMS page 60

1972 Ontario's Emergency and Casualty Attendant program
This one-year community college course concluded by attending the Fundamentals of Casualty Care course at Camp Borden.
Source: Bruce Newton, Toronto EMS

1972 Ontario's first Paramedicine course
The Ministry of Health began a 33-week course at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston, then cancelled it after the first year
Source: Bruce Newton, Toronto EMS

1974 First EMTs in Saskatchewan
Staff at Crescent Ambulance in Saskatoon passed the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons correspondence course for ambulance personnel
Source: Crestline - Building World Class Ambulances page 21

1978 Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan Road Ambulance Association and the Saskatchewan Medical Association provided the first province-wide EMT course
Source: The History of Sask. Ambulance & EMS page 72

1978 Alberta's first EMTs
A distance training pilot program for EMTs was held at Smith's Ambulance, Edmonton
Source: Ed Kalynchuk photo, Smith's Ambulance