'At a breaking point': Kingston, Ont. paramedics facing more calls, need more resources, union warns
Paramedics in the Kingston region are calling for more money and resources to help them deal with calls.
The paramedics' union says they’re struggling to keep up with a significant increase in call volumes.
"Frontenac Paramedic Service is currently in crisis," explains OPSEU Local 462 acting president Dave Doran. "They are at their breaking point and need to be supported."
The COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid crisis and an aging population are all leading to an increase in calls for service.
Doran says workers are facing burnout.
"Crews are just dropping off patients at the hospital, and being called right back out to service other calls," he explains. "There’s no downtime in between calls."
The Frontenac Paramedics are responsible for a large zone, from North Frontenac to islands like Wolfe Island in the south, a nearly two hour drive from one part of the region to the other.
For a population of approximately 150,000 across all its zones, there are 150 full time and part time paramedics. According to County of Frontenac, there are 23,000 calls logged a year, and the volume is expected to increase year over year over the next decade.
Most of the calls for paramedics are from Kingston, and Doran says there are times when they can’t respond as quickly to the rural areas.
"This has become a public safety issue for Kingston and Frontenac County," he explains.
In a statement to CTV News, Frontenac County officials say to address the issue they’ve hired a number of paramedics and have been training them. They’re expected to start within the next month.
“The County of Frontenac takes the health and welfare of all our employees seriously,” writes Kelly Pender, Chief Administrative Officer, County of Frontenac. "Including dedicated front-line paramedics and long-term care staff. The pandemic has had far-reaching implications for every front-line healthcare worker in the Province."
He also says the recent budget has approved hiring more paramedics and includes a new station to improve coverage.
"By working proactively with the province and by planning for service growth, we can best ensure the highest level of service possible to the residents we serve."
But Doran says this won’t be enough as paramedics retire and calls for more staff and vehicles on the road.
"Our paramedics are at their breaking point," he says. "They come every day eager to serve the public but the call volumes are beyond what can be handled by the amount of ambulances that we have.
"We need to staff those ambulances and we need to add those ambulances so we can serve the community appropriately."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.