SASKATOON, Sept. 18 /CNW/ - Thanks to Scotiabank, Emergency Medical
Services (EMS) now has a brand new fully equipped GMC Yukon which will serve
as their Supervisor vehicle. After over 400,000 km of yeoman service, the
previous vehicle could no longer perform as safely and as efficiently as
required and needed to be replaced. The new vehicle was made possible through
a $75,000 donation by Scotiabank to the Hospitals of Regina Foundation.
    There is a new vision for EMS that aims to enhance a community safety net
committed to being at the right place, at the right time with the right
service. A cornerstone of this vision is the upgrading of existing equipment
and the purchase of additional equipment to keep up with the increasing
demands for emergency services.
    "This generous gift from Scotiabank will be used by our Supervisors so
that they may provide timely assistance to paramedics on the scene of a major
emergency," stated Ken Luciak, Director of EMS. "Assistance may be in the form
of command and control, offering another set of skilled paramedic hands or as
a support to the patient's family and friends. We are very grateful to both
Scotiabank and the Hospitals of Regina Foundation."
    "At Scotiabank we concentrate our health-related contributions in areas
that will have a direct, positive impact on patient care and community
outreach. Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region's EMS plays an integral role in
safeguarding the health and well being of residents of our community," said
Colleen Bessel, Scotiabank's District Vice-President, Saskatchewan South. "Our
partnership with the Hospitals of Regina Foundation to fund a new EMS
Supervisor vehicle benefits not only Regina but residents of communities
throughout southern Saskatchewan who rely on access to major health care
centres in emergency situations."
    Judy Davis, the CEO of the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, said, "Thank
you to Scotiabank for being a true community partner and supporting health
care in southern Saskatchewan. We are very pleased they are supporting EMS -
one of the Foundation's fundraising initiatives - through the purchase of this
brand new vehicle; it will be a valuable addition to the EMS fleet."

    Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live
and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally
and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic
activities, in 2006 the Bank provided more than $42 million in sponsorships
and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas
of healthcare, education and social services. Scotiabank is on the World Wide
Web at www.scotiabank.com.