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High Call Volumes Impact on Ambulance Response Times Yesterday

February 5, 2003 - High call volumes yesterday in the City of Thunder Bay resulted in long delays for people waiting for ambulances. The situation was severe enough that paramedic crews stationed in Conmee Township and Shuniah Township were called in to provide help. Also, Thunder Bay paramedics were called in for emergency up-staffing yesterday afternoon.

"Paramedics from the rural stations are only brought to Thunder Bay in extreme circumstances, such as when the Thunder Bay paramedics are too busy to respond to calls in a timely fashion", said Norm Gale, public information officer for Superior North EMS. "We experienced a busy period yesterday afternoon, with emergency transfers from incoming aircraft and heightened activity within the city occurring at the same time." The situation was such that three extra crews were required yesterday, two from the rural stations and one Thunder Bay crew in on overtime. Thunder Bay paramedic crews are brought in on overtime when low priority calls will likely wait for longer than four hours.

Patients waiting to be transferred between medical facilities had to endure long delays yesterday. These patients included those being transferred between the McKellar and Port Arthur sites of Thunder Bay Regional Hospital for diagnostic testing and other procedures, as well as those patients requiring medical care while being transferred between long-term care facilities, their homes, or to waiting aircraft for out of town procedures.

"Fortunately, we were able to respond to all emergency calls in a timely manner yesterday" said Gale. "But, the timing of too many calls coming in at once did lead to the unfortunate situation of our lower-priority patients waiting long periods for ambulances".

Superior North EMS is currently in the process of adding full-time paramedics to its Thunder Bay complement. The action plan includes a 33% increase from 2001 staffing levels of full time paramedics for the City of Thunder Bay.