New EMS Building Will Serve Us Well!
BY Sherry Aalto
The call goes out for medical emergency services! Immediate help is definitely needed and every moment counts! Seconds can seem like hours to the caller. The 911 emergency dispatch centre wastes no time in expediting the call to the proper emergency services needed. As in the case of Superior North EMS (emergency medical service), on average, there are more than 25,000 call per year that EMS responds to. Even if there was only one call per year, response time is critical, so having the proper equipment and facilities to operate out of for optimum service to those in need is essential.
The Superior North Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is compromised of more than 190 dedicated professionals, including about 170 front line paramedics and a management and administrative team of 20. EMS provides emergency and health care services to 15 municipalities and areas throughout the District of Thunder Bay.
In the last 10 years there has been an 80% increase in volume for calls going out to EMS, according to Norm Gale, Chief of EMS, who has been with EMS for 22 years. Mr. Gale started out as a paramedic located on Rolland Street, here in Thunder Bay. Based on statistics and forecasting, the projected increase in demand for calls will increase between another 8% and 10% per year during the next 10 years and that 8-10% increase, will increase(compounding). EMS staff are under significant pressure from 'call and demand'. Three of the determining factors for the increases in call volume are
1. We are in the era of an aging population, which simply means that the older we get the more we
will require the need of EMS.
2. Social issues such as violence, poverty and substance miss-use,
3. Access to health care... over crowding in the emergency department, for many people there is difficulty or limited access to primary care providers or physicians, which mean that people will rely on 911 EMS as their access to health care.
EMS in Thunder Bay are currently, and have been for some time, in facilities that are no longer suitable and are long past their useful life for EMS purposes. The present sites are too small which poses a real problem for storage of equipment, storage of vehicles and locations are a concern. There was, until now, no EMS station in the north side of our city. Now with the new EMS facility just weeks away from opening, both sides of our city will benefit from the new location at 105 South Junot Avenue.
The need for a central and new location was first identified formally in 1995. The process began for finding a 'best location' which in itself, was a huge challenge. There were zoning complications, a site selection process which involved using an evidence based analysis to realize the best possible location for the greatest benefit, which literally took years. Also the cost of the property, the nature of the property, nature of the roads and other factors were considered for this new location. The new facility will address gaps involving geographical coverage, encompassing the north and south sides of the city. EMS needs to be available for 911 to the areas that they receive most of the calls for, which are the downtown cores and heavy residential areas.
The necessity for a new EMS building, which site preparation began February 2011, justifies the $11,000,000.00 necessary for the construction of the project, for this most critical service. The much
needed and well over-due project will now be home for the many people who answer to the 'call'. The projected date to move into the new site will be sometime in late March, 2012. There are 17 stations of EMS.
Right now the system is fragmented. There are 3 stations with paramedics spread throughout the three stations and administration is spread out as well. There are vehicles that are parked outside all
winter. There is a fragmented warehouse system where there is a fragmented supply and logistics system. Going into the new headquarters, brings everything together, where EMS can operates out of one central deployment. All of the paramedics will report to one central headquarters and from there they will sent out to their posts for their shift. The administration, the training and the supplies and
warehousing system will all be integral and combined. So there will be significant operational and support efficiencies that will be realized. Servicing the entire district of Thunder Bay and area involves, 17 stations, Upsula in the west, to Armstrong in the north and Manitouwadge and Long Lac in the east and all the way down to the U.S. Border. In the city the stations are in service 24 hours a day, seven days a week and in the districts the stations are on 12 hours on site and 12 hours on standby for call back, so there is 24 hour coverage.
Mr. Gale comments that "This has been a long time coming and it has been a work in progress for almost 20 years and we are very excited and we appreciate the support of Thunder Bay Municipal Council and the citizens in the city and the district of Thunder Bay in getting us to where we are! And I personally am excited about improved service being delivered to people!"
When you think of EMS, you might say to yourself, 'Why did they need this new site and why so much for the construction?' You may even think that so much was not necessary...until you or someone you love has to make that 'call'. We in Thunder Bay, are fortunate to have these services and we are equally fortunate that those who serve us in the 'field' and in the administrative departments, have chosen this as their life career. Where would a lot of us or those we love, be without them?
