The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FACED with a long-standing shortage of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) on the Family Islands, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) has launched a programme to train police officers and reserves to operate ambulances and assist with critical medical care.

In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the initiative aims to fill urgent staffing gaps that have left many islands struggling to respond to medical emergencies. Seventeen officers have been selected for cross-training, with some arriving in New Providence this week to begin instruction.

During a press conference yesterday, PHA managing director Aubynette Rolle said police officers were a natural fit for the role due to their training in both defensive and offensive driving.

“It’s not as simple as people jumping in the ambulance,” Dr Rolle said. “We have to be concerned about the patients. We have to be concerned about the driver, and we also have to be concerned with persons on the road.”

The 16-hour Emergency Vehicle Operations training programme includes a full day of lectures followed by a second day of hands-on exercises at a driving range. Officers will be taught how to inspect ambulances, avoid collisions, and prioritise patient and road safety.

Dr Rolle said the goal is for trained officers to respond to calls when EMTs are unavailable, allowing medical staff to remain in the back of the ambulance to stabilise patients en route.

“The intent is that whenever there’s an emergency until there is a trained EMT, those volunteers who are trained now will be able to move through the community in the ambulance,” she said, “which will now allow the nurse and the physician to be in the back of the ambulance to take care of the patient, so that the patient is being stabilised all the way until they reach the clinic.”

Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville called the shortage of EMTs one of the country’s greatest medical challenges, noting that recruiting and retaining qualified personnel remains difficult. He said training officers on the Family Islands is essential to closing care gaps and ensuring timely emergency response.

The second phase of the programme, beginning April 22, will focus on training new EMTs through the PHA Academy. Officials are currently reviewing applicants. Once certified, EMTs will also assist in clinics when not on call, Dr Rolle said.

Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles said she was contacted by the PHA about four weeks ago regarding the shortage. She supported the initiative, especially because many reserve officers live on the islands they will serve. She stressed that officers must be able to act during medical emergencies, particularly when lives are at risk.

Officers from Eleuthera, Andros, Cat Island, and Abaco are included in the initial training phase. Dr Rolle said the long-term goal is to train emergency drivers on all Family Islands, depending on the availability of ambulances.

She noted that acquiring new ambulances has been slow, with some taking up to 18 months to arrive due to global supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the programme develops, officials hope to expand the training to New Providence.