Critical Care Transport is a distinct specialty in the provision of out-of-hospital care. Critical Care Transport provides additional resources necessary for patients who are clinically unstable or have the potential for life threatening clinical instability and who require more advanced and specialized provider knowledge, training, and experience, as well as diagnostic and interventional capabilities, equipment and therapeutics. Both Halifax EMS and Critical Care clinical providers must have sufficient capabilities to meet both the expected and potential medical needs of critical care patients at referral hospitals and during transport. Our Critical Care teams area able to transport, but not limited to, patients requiring:

- Ventilator management

- BiPAP

- Ventricular assist devices

- Transcutaneous pacing

When a patient is suffering through a medical crisis, ALS provides crucial tools for healthcare and medical professionals to improve their chances of saving a patient’s life. It draws on a wide range of technical knowledge and is appropriate only to those who are deeply experienced in patient care. For those who are qualified, however, it can mean the difference between life and death for a person in critical need. As such, it’s often mandatory for advanced medical personnel who will treat patients during serious medical emergencies.

ALS transport can increase patient outcomes by sustaining life and making efforts to keep a patient’s neurological function intact during cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack. With ALS, healthcare or medical professionals can optimize resuscitation efforts, and ultimately, improve their chances of saving a patient’s life.

Basic life support (BLS) is defined as a variety of noninvasive emergency procedures performed to assist in the immediate survival of a patient, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hemorrhage control, stabilization of fractures, spinal immobilization, and basic first aid. Some of these procedures can be lifesaving and are often important to implement early. Specifically in the case of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation with automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), BLS procedures can have a significant impact on survival, and are typically delivered by initial responders (sometimes referred to as first-responders) until more advanced and definitive medical care can be implemented. BLS is typically provided by either  first responders or emergency medical technicians (EMTs).