04-07-2018, 12:06 PM
I think we need to get away from the medical ethics aspect of the discussion; there is nothing that can be changed in that respect.
Paramedics/doctors/police/fire have an oathes to help/protect those in need, and to help/protect those in need the most, first. Even if a drunk driver hits a pedestrian and somehow miraculously the driver is most seriously one injured, medical staff have a duty to treat the most injured first even if they are the "guilty" party.
We should be focusing our energies on mitigating the risks and impact of the party on the community. The chaos is a growing a drain on local resources so the only solution is to add additional resources above and beyond the normal budgeted complement for that day of week and time of day (when an ambulance is assigned a high priority call it cannot be reassigned to another call until the other one has been cleared) .
Throwing out some random-and-not-completely-thought-through suggestions:
1) Local post-secondary institutions institute a new fee on all students to cover the cost of hiring additional paramedics, security, police, and sanitation crews - but then of course you accusing all local students when it is only a small proportion that are contributing to the chaos and completely miss the under-aged crowd and the out-of-town students which make up a larger and larger contingent; but maybe then there might be some peer pressure to not attend the party and find another way to celebrate.
2) The region could implement a small alcohol tax to cover the additional costs (maybe only the City of Toronto Act has that power?) - but then of course you are punishing responsible users of alcohol needlessly.
3) LCBO could limit shipments to the K-W area in the weeks beforehand to try and limit supply - but then again you are punishing responsible users of alcohol needlessly.
4) LCBO could limit volume of individual purchases - but again you are punishing responsible users of alcohol needlessly.
5) The universities could schedule more midterms to immediately on or after St Patrick's day so there will be additional consequences individually.
6) If the 911 call was the result of reckless or illegal behaviour allow the region/province the ability to recoup the full cost of an ambulance ride instead of the standard fee ($45) - I wouldn't want this because then you might get people reluctant to call and then it might be too late to help someone, and again this slips in to the medical ethics territory where it is a judgement and very a slippery slope.
7) Emergency curfew - call in the military - probably even more expensive than the amount of resources already being used and but you are punishing the entire community.
Paramedics/doctors/police/fire have an oathes to help/protect those in need, and to help/protect those in need the most, first. Even if a drunk driver hits a pedestrian and somehow miraculously the driver is most seriously one injured, medical staff have a duty to treat the most injured first even if they are the "guilty" party.
We should be focusing our energies on mitigating the risks and impact of the party on the community. The chaos is a growing a drain on local resources so the only solution is to add additional resources above and beyond the normal budgeted complement for that day of week and time of day (when an ambulance is assigned a high priority call it cannot be reassigned to another call until the other one has been cleared) .
Throwing out some random-and-not-completely-thought-through suggestions:
1) Local post-secondary institutions institute a new fee on all students to cover the cost of hiring additional paramedics, security, police, and sanitation crews - but then of course you accusing all local students when it is only a small proportion that are contributing to the chaos and completely miss the under-aged crowd and the out-of-town students which make up a larger and larger contingent; but maybe then there might be some peer pressure to not attend the party and find another way to celebrate.
2) The region could implement a small alcohol tax to cover the additional costs (maybe only the City of Toronto Act has that power?) - but then of course you are punishing responsible users of alcohol needlessly.
3) LCBO could limit shipments to the K-W area in the weeks beforehand to try and limit supply - but then again you are punishing responsible users of alcohol needlessly.
4) LCBO could limit volume of individual purchases - but again you are punishing responsible users of alcohol needlessly.
5) The universities could schedule more midterms to immediately on or after St Patrick's day so there will be additional consequences individually.
6) If the 911 call was the result of reckless or illegal behaviour allow the region/province the ability to recoup the full cost of an ambulance ride instead of the standard fee ($45) - I wouldn't want this because then you might get people reluctant to call and then it might be too late to help someone, and again this slips in to the medical ethics territory where it is a judgement and very a slippery slope.
7) Emergency curfew - call in the military - probably even more expensive than the amount of resources already being used and but you are punishing the entire community.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.