September 14, 2006

Emergency 2006 will bring together three professions of emergency medical care for a three-day educational conference in Toronto. Physicians, nurses and paramedics from across Ontario will attend the conference this weekend.

The goal of the conference is to share knowledge and experience and to learn about new trends in emergency medical care and practice. Topics to be covered include pandemic flu planning, disaster management (weapons of mass destruction and chemical-biological-nuclear-radiological incidents), clinical research, stroke care, trauma care and pediatrics.

The conference will include lectures, workshops, hands on learning stations, and presentations by keynote speakers, including Dr. Robert Conn of Smartrisk on Saturday, September 16 at 3:30 p.m. Also on Saturday, the Honourable George Smitherman, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, will be addressing the conference at 6:45 p.m.

Dr. Jullette Saussy, medical director of New Orleans EMS, will speak about her experiences and the challenges of living and working through Hurricane Katrina on Sunday, September 17 at 10 a.m.

Dates: Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17
Time: Opening ceremony: Friday at 7 p.m.; closing ceremony: Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
Place: Delta Toronto East Hotel, 2035 Kennedy Rd. (at Highway 401)

Members of the media are invited to attend the three-day conference anytime to see and hear how today’s nurses, paramedics and physicians are preparing to better care for the sick and injured in their communities, emergency departments, and ambulances.

The conference is a joint effort between the Ontario Paramedic Association and the Sunnybrook Emergency Medicine Physician Group.

For a full schedule of conference events, visit http://www.ontarioparamedic.ca/conference.html.

Media contacts:

Claude Muir
Toronto EMS Critical Care Paramedic
Conference Media Relations
416-435-2745

Larry Roberts
Co-ordinator
Toronto EMS Media Relations
416-392-2255