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Vol. 90 Issue 41 • Wednesday, October 9, 2013 • www.arrowlakesnews.com • 250-265-3823 • $1.25 •
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Kootenay’s fastest ambulances found in Creston Greg Nesteroff Black Press
If you have a medical emergency in the Kootenays, it’s best to be in Creston, judging by statistics from the BC Ambulance Service. In 2012, Creston’s average response time to Code 3 calls — requiring lights and sirens — was nine minutes and 20 seconds, better than Cranbrook (10:01), Nelson (11:06), Castlegar (10:42), Trail (11:16), or Grand
Forks (12:30). However, all were slower than the nineminute standard suggested by the US Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, a benchmark reached by only ten communities in the province last year. Creston also posted the fastest times in the region in 2010 and 2011. The slowest response times in West Kootenay/Boundary last year were in Christina Lake (27:05), Rock Creek (26:27), and Kaslo (24:05). The
Average Code 3 Response Times Communities with at least one “pre-hospital” event per week Calls Avg Avg Avg 2012 2012 2011 2010 Balfour 39 25:18 30:05 26:14 Castlegar 466 10:42 11:35 11:44 Christina Lake 87 27:05 30:03 22:04 Cranbrook 1,049 10:01 9:32 10:06 Creston 313 9:20 9:17 10:10 Erickson 64 14:20 13:31 n/a Fruitvale 157 19:31 19:43 20:46 Genelle 37 17:38 n/a n/a Grand Forks 331 12:30 12:49 11:56 Greenwood 44 22:39 n/a n/a Invermere 149 10:26 10:09 16:08 Kaslo 39 24:05 17:09 n/a Kimberley 418 12:01 10:36 11:20 Midway 51 18:46 14:12 n/a Nakusp 75 18:21 15:51 22:21 Nelson 567 11:06 10:46 10:12 Ootischenia 40 11:54 n/a n/a Rock Creek 40 26:27 n/a 22:41 Robson n/a n/a 18:58 n/a Rossland 134 22:24 22:40 23:08 Salmo 133 23:23 21:25 20:40 Sparwood 159 20:15 20:23 17:21 Trail 552 11:16 11:01 11:09 Warfield 56 13:52 13:11 13:05 No data: New Denver, Silverton, Slocan, Montrose Slowest in 2012: Rogers Pass 51:41 Fastest: Victoria 7:32
Creston ambulances have the best response times in the Kootenays, according to BCAS statistics. Black Press file photo former two don’t have ambulance stations, but the latter does. The figures, obtained through a freedom of information request by former air ambulance pilot Hans Dysarsz, surprised rural Creston regional district director Larry Binks, a retired BC Ambulance administrator. “Under ten minutes is good,” he said. “It comes down to staffing: if a station isn’t staffed properly, response time is going to be poor. We recognize we live in rural areas and won’t get the same response times [as in urban centres] but certainly deserve better than what is happening in some cases.” Creston achieved its response times despite only having one full-time paramedic and 13 part-timers. By comparison, Nelson has seven full-timers and 33 part-timers, Trail four full-timers and 27 part-timers, Castlegar one full-timer and 27 part-timers, and Grand Forks one full-timer and 14 part-timers. (Part time employees submit their availability and shifts are staffed accordingly.) Binks, who worked for the ambulance service from 1974-2006, and Castlegar mayor
Lawrence Chernoff have been advocating for improvements. Response times could be faster if all stations were manned full-time, he said, but attendants have to be adequately compensated, rather than a standby pittance. Chernoff, who retired in 2006 after 29 years as a paramedic, suggested the service isn’t as good as it used to be, and one reason is training. “That’s been identified as a key issue. In the past BC Ambulance trained you. Now you pay for it yourself. If you invest $5,000 and work in a small-volume station, you’re never going to get that money back.” Chernoff and Binks met with BC Ambulance management last month at the Union of BC Municipalities conference, although Chernoff said previous talks were “frustrating ... It’s moving too slow for us. We’ve met with probably everybody in BC Ambulance.” BC Ambulance spokeswoman Kelsie Carwithen said response times aren’t determined
See Ambulance page 3
Nakusp RCMP files: fight in Fauquier, truck hit at Halcyon Claire paradis Arrow Lakes News
Assaults in Fauquier still being
investigated
An altercation at the rest stop at the Fauquier ferry landing between two women that involved bear spray and ended in injuries is still being investigated by police. On Sept. 20, Nakusp RCMP were called to a reported assault where both women were injured
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and needed medical assistance. At this point the Nakusp RCMP aren’t releasing any further details, and because no charges have been laid by the Crown (police are recommending charges of assault against one woman and assault with a weapon against the other), no names can
be released.
Truck damaged by hit A vehicular hit and run at Halcyon Hot Springs on Sept. 21 left a Toyota Tacoma truck with a damaged rear window and can-
opy. The truck was hit while parked at the hot springs, and it’s likely a larger vehicle caused the damage. Police are asking anyone with information to call the Nakusp RCMP at 250-265-3677 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222TIPS (8477). -with files from Nakusp RCMP
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