Two ambulances shifting to overburdened Victoria for three month trial

Sam Van Schie

B次元官网网址 staff

Sirens whirl down Sooke Road but the ambulance theyB次元官网网址檙e coming from didnB次元官网网址檛 originate from the nearby Colwood station.

View Royal Coun. Andrew Britton, standing outside West ShoreB次元官网网址檚 only BC Ambulance station at the corner of Sooke and Jacklin roads, guesses the emergency vehicle was dispatched from Royal Oak, as local ambulances are already out on calls.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a situation he expects to be much more common after June 1 when the two ambulances that operate out of Colwood during daytime hours are reassigned to the central station on Douglas Street near Uptown, leaving West Shore with a single 24-hour, seven-day-per week ambulance.

Britton, a paramedic by trade, says heB次元官网网址檚 concerned emergency response times will increase on the West Shore, putting residents at risk.

B次元官网网址淲hat we need is more ambulances and ultimately more funding from the province to pay for them,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭aking services from one place and putting them somewhere else doesnB次元官网网址檛 solve the problem. ItB次元官网网址檚 like robbing Peter to pay Paul.B次元官网网址�

But Shawn Carby, executive director for BC Ambulance on Vancouver Island, said West ShoreB次元官网网址檚 ambulances are under utilized.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to make a case for more resources when weB次元官网网址檙e not making the best use of what we already have,B次元官网网址� he said, noting Victoria has a much higher call volume than the West Shore.

B次元官网网址淲e have no expectation this will have an impact on West Shore response time,B次元官网网址� Carby said. B次元官网网址淚t should actually improve response times overall, by moving the cars closer to where the majority of calls originate.B次元官网网址�

Britton doesnB次元官网网址檛 deny that Victoria is swamped with calls, but he fears West Shore could see a rush when all the Victoria ambulances are already on the road.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l have to dispatch from Sooke or Sidney. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no way theyB次元官网网址檒l make it in the critical (eight minute) window when a life is at risk,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 rather there be three ambulances sitting here unused than know weB次元官网网址檙e unprepared when multiple emergencies happen.B次元官网网址�

Regional vice-president of the Ambulance Paramedics of BC Union (CUPE 874) Rick Atkinson said West Shore paramedics are generally out on calls for 45 to 60 per cent of their shift.

B次元官网网址淭hey need downtime between calls to fill out paperwork and clean the ambulance,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that overworked paramedics are more likely to become sick, injured or burnt out. This is common in Victoria where paramedics are out of the station for up to 90 per cent of their shift.

Atkinson says ambulances are taken out of circulation for shifts two or three times per month in Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 core due to a lack of paramedics B次元官网网址� all on-call staff are already filling in for sick or injured full-time paramedics.

Atkinson doesnB次元官网网址檛 agree with shifting resources from Colwood to ease the problem.

B次元官网网址淭he population is growing and our resources arenB次元官网网址檛 keeping up. WeB次元官网网址檙e moving backwards.B次元官网网址�

The Colwood station has had at least two ambulances since 1976. In 2006, there was public outcry when BC Ambulance pulled ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 on-call B次元官网网址渒ilo carB次元官网网址� for transferring patients between hospitals, which would have brought the station down to one ambulance.

Ultimately it brought on the two vehicles now in question to have a secondary ambulance on shift during the day.

Colwood councillor and protective services committee chair Gordie Logan was among those speaking up in 2006 to keep the ambulances at the Colwood station. He was surprised to hear the service is threatened again.

B次元官网网址淲e werenB次元官网网址檛 notified. BC Ambulance has kept us completely in the dark about this,B次元官网网址� he said.

Carby, a West Shore resident himself, says the reassignment of the ambulances is a 90 day trial and will be reviewed after that time.

But Logan intends to start fighting to have the decision reversed immediately. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 maddening to see our services downgraded,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t makes no sense. ItB次元官网网址檚 a short sighted and puts lives at risk.B次元官网网址�

news@goldstreamgazette.com