Enhanced ambulance service coming to Chetwynd and Fort Nelson

The Province announced Tuesday that on-call ambulance stations in Chetwynd and Fort Nelson will be converted to 24/7 stations with eight full-time paramedics next month.

During a conference on Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix says 24 ambulance stations in the province will begin providing 24/7 service on October 24th.

Permanent paramedic positions will be provided to 26 smaller stations, including Hudson’s Hope, starting on November 1st.

The changes reflect the BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) action plan Dix and Jim Chu, the new board chair for BCEHS, announced in July, with the goal of improving ambulance wait times.

“When we call 911 for help, British Columbians need to feel confident that help is on the way and that it will arrive quickly,” says Dix. “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. Better support for paramedics and dispatchers will help them do the vital work we count on every day.”

The BCEHS action plan included hiring 85 new full-time paramedics, hiring 30 new full-time dispatchers, reconstituting the BCEHS board to focus solely on ambulance services, and establishing and appointing a new chief ambulance officer responsible for the day-to-day management of the BC Ambulance Service.

The hiring of new paramedics and dispatchers is underway and is expected to be filled between October and December, according to the Province. This is in addition to 295 full-time and part-time paramedic positions posted by BCEHS in early July.