Abstract

Recent efforts to reform the healthcare system have introduced significant change to rural health service delivery. Rural areas, characterized by low population density and expansive geography, present unique challenges for health planners and service providers. Health managers need to look for innovative solutions to meet the health needs of rural Canadians. This article presents one such solution: Saskatchewan's Volunteer First Responders. Moving beyond the traditional model of care, this program uses an inter-sectional, community- development approach to support local volunteers in emergency response.