Bob Crawford (Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent). Bob Crawford (Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent).
Chatham

Chief Says New Ambulance Would 'Ease The Problem,' But Not Fix It

Chatham-Kent's fire paramedic chief says a new ambulance may ease the pressure on the municipality's "already straining health care system," but it wouldn't solve the problem.

Bob Crawford joined Chatham-Kent’s Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire on a trip to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia last week to develop a closer relationship with the municipality's EMS provider Medavie.

Crawford says the last time he visited was six years ago.

"We had a very productive conversation with them and it was a chance to look at a couple different ways that they're doing business in the Maritimes that we might be able to do in Ontario... but the primary purpose of the visit was to make sure that we could reinforce our relationships," says Crawford.

On the trip, Medavie provided a draft report focusing on the purpose of the relationship, scope, reporting structure, authority, and how to fund joint meetings going forward. A more conclusive report is to be completed and presented to council by the end of January.

"We are committed to an ongoing partnership with Medavie... they're involved in an integral way with what we're doing in the municipality here and none of this is being done in isolation... in fact, we're hand-in-hand with our friends at Medavie to make sure we provide the best medical service possible for the public," he says.

Crawford says the final report will look at the whole picture of how the municipality delivers its medical service.

He says there are a few factors as to why the municipality's EMS system is under pressure.

"We have an ageing demographic, so there's a lot more demand for medical services. People are chronically ill with a number of illnesses like COPD, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses that cause residents of Chatham-Kent to need medical services more frequently... and all this puts pressure on an already straining health care system," he says.

Crawford says a new ambulance would definitely "ease the problem," but not fix it.

"It's quite complex. It isn't just as simple as purchasing another vehicle, hiring staff to ride in it, and thinking that it's going to immediately have a positive [impact]... it will have an effect but we want to make sure that we measure carefully so that we can predict what's going to happen," says Crawford.

Crawford says resident should also bear in mind that the municipality does not have unlimited budget, so officials must be prudent about decisions and spend money in the best way possible.

Read More Local Stories