File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

66 per cent of calls

Increase in 2023 medical calls putting strain on Kamloops Fire Rescue

Jan 5, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) received more than 10,000 calls for service in 2023, an increase of more than 500 from a year ago. Unsurprisingly the bulk of calls for the fire department this past year were again, medical calls.

KFR is increasing their medical training as a result of 66 per cent of their calls being medical in nature. With more calls coming in, and Fire Rescue remaining on scene longer, the chief is hoping to see changes from the province.

“We know that we play a part in that chain of survival, in that medical process, and we are happy to do that,” said KFR Chief Ken Uzeloc. “But when we have seen this amount of calls, and this impact on our other services for something we aren’t even compensated for. Even if there was compensation for us supporting them and going to those calls it would be able to help to offset training cost, equipment costs, things like that that we are seeing.”

Chief Uzeloc noted that the issue is much deeper than just challenges with ambulances, noting the entire health care system is struggling.

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“We are on of the fastest growing cities in the province and we have a system here, specifically our health care system that is very taxed. A lot of people don’t have family doctors, we don’t have urgent cares, we don’t have walk-in clinics, so we are seeing more people accessing the 911 system for help,” added Uzeloc.

In 2023, the city was dealing with drought that lead to the closing of parks and nature areas by Chief Uzeloc in the summer. With a lack of snowpack building up this winter, he’s worried about another dry year ahead.

“We are going to be pretty dry right from the start and not to put words into civic-ops, but water restrictions could be very early on in the year which is only going to make things drier. Given that fire season we saw last year, that could put in a fire season from February in,” noted Uzeloc. “Starting sooner, more concerns.”

Kamloops Fire Rescue did receive interface fire training in 2023, but without close by neighbours to help fight wildfires, the chief feels Kamloops needs to increase FireSmart initiatives.

“We need to really start looking at and putting efforts into fire smarting our community, so that we can reduce that risk to give us time to control an event if something does happen, before we do get other resources that would be available,” said Uzeloc.

A full year end report will be presented by KFR in the near future, further breaking down their 2023 numbers.