By Juliet Kadzviti

P.A. ambulances help residents recognize the signs of a stroke

Mar 3, 2016 | 11:09 AM

City ambulances are giving residents information that could help save a life.

Parkland Ambulance Care has partnered up with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to help residents recognize the symptoms of a stroke. All ambulances will now feature stickers indicating how to properly recognize a stroke.

The initiative is new for the emergency services provider, Lyle Karasuik, director of public affairs for Parkland Ambulance Care said.

“This is a very new experience for us as an ambulance service, but certainly one that we are proud to support and very happy to support. We certainly hope that it makes a difference to educate people.”

Karasuik said noticing signs of a stroke quickly is crucial for timely and effective treatment.

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He explained that the faster the patient gets to a treatment facility, the faster they are likely to recover, as treatments today are “phenomenal and effective.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates 1.9 million brain cells die every minute after a stroke and 66 per cent of people don’t arrive at the hospital in time to receive treatment, which can lead to death and disability.

Some of the signs Karasuik said people should look out for include slurred speech, difficulty walking and difficulty moving.

jkadzviti@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @julietkadzviti