Call for an ambulance in the Roseau area, and one of LifeCare’s three EMS units is on the way.
   But what happens if that call comes from north of the border, say near Sprague or South Junction?
   Surprisingly, the response is the same.
   Thanks to an agreement between LifeCare Medical Center and the Canadian federal government, the Piney District in southern Manitoba receives 24-hour emergency ambulance service from stateside.
   “Being the closest ambulance service we’ve always gone up into Canada, but it was just a handshake agreement,” says Curt Ireland, EMS Director at LifeCare Medical Center.
   But in a world of tighter border security, a more formal arrangement was needed, otherwise the people of Piney District would be 60 miles from the nearest Canadian ambulance service.
   To obtain the necessary license, Ireland worked with a group of Manitoba health care professionals led by Scott Nobles of Steinbach Manitoba Health.
   “This is the only license of its kind between our two countries,” says Ireland, whose request for approval went all the way to the legislature in Ottawa.
   LifeCare’s border crossing license requires an annual renewal with the Canadian government.

How it works
   Every 911 call originating in Manitoba is directed to a headquarters in Brandon, Manitoba.
   Calls requiring LifeCare’s assistance are brought to the attention of the Roseau County Sheriff’s office, which dispatches the EMS crew.
   “LifeCare’s ambulance has an 800 megahertz radio onboard so we have direct contact with the city of Brandon at all times,” Ireland says.
   He and all 20 of LifeCare’s EMTs carry a border crossing card and are on file at the border to ensure timely service.
   “We’re very happy to now formally care for our neighbors on both sides of the border,” Ireland says.

New ambulance
   LifeCare’s primary service area reaches from the Northwest Angle south to Grygla, east to Salol, and west to Badger.
   “We cover approximately 2,200 square miles of primary service area,” Ireland says. “With the addition of transporting patients to other facilities, the miles add up pretty fast.”
That may be an understatement.
After only two months in service, LifeCare’s newest of three ambulances already has logged over 18,000 miles. “We generally try to replace our rigs every 150,000 miles,” Ireland says.

For more information about LifeCare’s EMS service, call (218) 463-4302.

• Taking a few simple, common sense precautions is still the most important thing you can do to keep from getting the flu or spreading it to others. This applies to seasonal flu and H1N1.
• Stay home from work or school and generally avoid going out in public if you are sick with symptoms of the flu.
• Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Clean your hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer solution.
• Get vaccinated against the flu.
• Avoid contact with others who may be ill.
• Clean your hands after shaking hands or having close contact with others and before eating or preparing food, or touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Be aware of the symptoms of H1N1 flu, which are generally the same as those for seasonal flu. H1N1 symptoms include fever of 100 degrees or more with sore throat or cough.
• H1N1 symptoms may also include runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. In some cases, symptoms of H1N1 can also include vomiting and diarrhea, which are not typically symptoms of seasonal flu.

   If you are an employer, encourage your employees to stay home if they are sick with flu symptoms.
   In general, if you are ill with flu symptoms, stay home from work, school or other places where people gather until 24 hours after your fever subsides.
   If you are severely ill with flu symptoms, you should contact your health care provider.
   Contact your health care provider if you have flu symptoms and are pregnant, or you have an underlying health problem or condition.
   If you are at high risk for flu complications, you can be given anti-viral drugs, which may lessen the severity of your illness or help you get well faster.
   However, anti-virals need to be given within the first 48 hours after you become ill in order to be most effective.
   If you decide you need to talk to a health care provider, take steps to avoid exposing others to the flu:

• Call first to see if you need to actually see your provider in person.
• If you do need to see your provider, take steps to avoid exposing other patients to the flu.

   How to Manage Influenza Symptoms
   Prevent dehydration by drinking lots of fluids, such as water, juice (half-strength for children), broth, tea, sports drinks or oral rehydration formula. Adults need 2-3 quarts of fluids per day. Young children need 1 quart per day to prevent dehydration. Limit caffeinated drinks to 1-3 cups per day. Give cool drinks if the ill person has a fever. Food intake is not critical while the person is most ill, but fluid intake is.
A good oral rehydration formula includes:

• 4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons sugar or honey (do not give honey to infants under 1 year of age)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Lemon, lime, or mint for flavor if desired.

   Managing Fever
   Give medication for fever greater than 101 F degrees or 38.3 C degrees. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be used to treat a fever. Follow medication package instructions for dosages and times between doses.
   Acetaminophen and ibuprofen work differently and can be used in combination if fever is not controlled with use of only one of these medications. Ask you healthcare provider for products and dosage appropriate for children less than 2 years old.
   If fever is over 104 degrees, help the ill person drink cool liquids and place a cool cloth on the forehead.

   Additional Tips

• Managing Cough: Use over-the-counter cough medication or cough lozenges. Follow package instructions for dosages and times between doses.
• Managing Sore Throat: Use throat lozenges and gargle with warm water.
• Managing Body Aches: Take a warm shower or bath and take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Follow package instructions for dosages and times between doses.
• Managing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea: Take fluids such as broth, juice, tea, sports drinks, or oral rehydration formula at a rate of 1 teaspoon every 5 minutes. If no vomiting occurs after 30 minutes, double the amount every 30 minutes until the patient can drink on their own. Seek immediate care if the sick person:
• Has difficulty breathing or chest pain
• Has gray/blue lips or skin
• Has fever above 104 F degrees (above 101 F degrees for a child) that cannot be reduced
• Has severe persistent coughing
• Unable to drink or keep down fluids
• Has a seizure
• Is unable to move an arm or leg
• Is confused or not waking up
• Improves and then symptoms return