Paramedics in the Rainy River district are racking up huge amounts of overtime.
Almost 6-thousand hours have been accumulated as of July 25th, nearly matching the total for all of last year.
Ambulance services, under the wing of the District of Rainy River Services Board, have been facing staffing challenges for a couple of years.
The demand for paramedics is high nationwide but more pronounced in northwestern Ontario.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents paramedics in the Rainy River district and has been raising awareness about the level of service.
Local president Malcolm Daley says there are ongoing efforts to hire more staff, but the demand for paramedics elsewhere has made recruiting difficult for all agencies in northwestern Ontario.
“The issue really is that no one’s coming here anymore. The career has expanded eventually to a point where the need to relocate for work, it’s disappeared,” says Daley.
“Paramedics used to move to the north to gain experience, and they just don’t have to anymore. So they aren’t.”
Daley says staffing is down about 40% from what is normally required.
Some paramedics have left the area to work elsewhere, while others have retired, taken a leave or left the profession altogether.
A Facebook page that tracks staffing notes there were 50 occasions in July when an ambulance base in the Rainy River district was without an ambulance or had only one paramedic available.
The unfortunate reality today.Contact your local MPP’s Greg Rickford and Kevin Holland – MPP Thunder Bay-Atikokan to voice your displeasure for this unprecedented situation.
Posted by Rainy River Association of Professional Paramedics on Friday, August 2, 2024
“We didn’t experience that a whole lot historically until the last few years, where the loss in staff without replacement has just decimated our numbers to the point where our medics are working astronomical amounts of overtime just to keep ambulances on the road.”
Daley says the staffing challenges are now leading to the plans to close the ambulance base in Emo.
“There will no longer be an ambulance response out of Emo. That’s not effective immediately, but that is the plan because currently we just don’t have enough staff to keep every ambulance on the road.”
Daley admits the solutions are not simple but action from the provincial government is needed to address the staffing issues facing northern Ontario services.
“People need to make their voices heard in this because the reality of the situation is that service is decreasing and the chances are the likelihood that critical events happen where ambulance responses an hour or more away is just kind of always on the cusp.”
“I don’t want to fear monger,” adds Daley .”An ambulance will come. When you dial 911, an ambulance will respond. That’s a guarantee. It’s just where it’s coming from and how long it might take to get there.”
