There could soon be more paramedics working in Chatham-Kent.
Medavie EMS Ontario Chatham-Kent (MEMSO-CK) is asking the municipality to add extra paramedics between 2 p.m. and 2 a.m. The report to expand emergency service levels will be presented to council on Monday and if approved, will cost more than $300,000 for the remainder of the year.
Chatham-Kent Assistant Fire Chief Chris Case says Council directed CKFES to conduct a study of service needs and trends at that time.
“We’ve been working with Medavie during the past several months and we have a recommendation for council,” says Case.
Council had already approved the purchase of an additional ambulances during 2018 budget deliberations to address issues of availability during shift changes and peak periods.
MEMSO-CK general manager, Donald MacLellan says they have received a number of questions from the public, worried about a shortage of paramedics.
There has been an increase in system demand over the last several years due to factors such as an increase in calls, emergency department offload delays, weather and major events,” says MacLellan. “Data is reviewed daily, weekly, monthly and annually to identify trends that may drive changes in how ambulances resources are deployed however, we are careful to not to react in haste to what may be short-term demand increase rather a long term trend.”
Case adds the expanded service will be included in the Medavie contract through 2021.
