Province expanding rural ambulance services with 'largest hiring push in B.C.'s history'
The British Columbia government is expanding rural ambulance services across the province in what it calls the "largest hiring push in B.C’s history" for the paramedic service.
Starting next month, two dozen rural ambulance stations will be converted from on-call stations to around-the-clock stations with eight full-time paramedics.
The stations include:
- Lake Cowichan
- Port McNeill
- Tofino
- Cumberland
- Bowser
- Pemberton
- Ashcroft
- Barriere
- Keremeos
- Lillooet
- Princeton
- Sicamous
- Clearwater
- Revelstoke
- Peachland
- Fernie
- Golden
- Kimberley
- Burns Lake
- Fort St. James
- Houston
- Vanderhoof
- Chetwynd
- Fort Nelson
In addition, 26 smaller ambulance stations will move to a “scheduled on-call” staffing model on Nov. 1 with new paramedic positions added, according to the province.
Those stations include:
- Alert Bay
- Atlin
- Bear Lake
- Blue River
- Cortes Island
- Dease Lake
- Edgewood
- Elkford
- Field
- Gold Bridge
- Granisle
- Greenwood
- Hudson's Hope
- New Denver
- Port Alice
- Port Clements
- Riondel
- Sayward
- Seton Portage
- Sointula
- Southside
- Stewart
- Tahsis
- Texada Island
- Wells
- Zeballos
The paramedic staffing increase follows a commitment the government made in July to improve and expand BC Emergency Health Services.
"When we call 911 for help, British Columbians need to feel confident that help is on the way and that it will arrive quickly," said Health Minister Dix in a statement Tuesday.
"The significant progress made by BC Emergency Health Services over the summer will ensure a more effective ambulance service for patients and families who depend on it,” Dix added. “Better support for paramedics and dispatchers will help them do the vital work we count on every day."
The health ministry announced in July it was expanding ambulance services by hiring 85 full-time paramedics in larger urban centres, including in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, Kamloops and Prince George.
The province also said it was bringing on 30 new full-time ambulance dispatchers and announced the appointment of a new chief ambulance officer responsible for day-to-day ambulance management.
Hiring for all the new positions is currently underway, the province said Tuesday, with the expectation they will be filled between October and December.
"We are on track with filling new paramedic and dispatch positions and I know this is going to create more stability in our staffing and improve our emergency medical response and our community paramedic services in rural and remote B.C. in particular," said Leanne Heppell, interim chief ambulance officer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.