File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

MEDICAL RELATED CALLS

Kamloops Fire Rescue chief says dedicated unit needed to address escalating volume of medical calls

Feb 20, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — In recent years, Kamloops Fire Rescue has responded to more and more ‘rescue’ related emergencies. According to data provided to the City of Kamloops, KFR now accounts for more than 60 per cent of all medical calls for service received from BC Emergency Health Services.

In response, the fire department says it would like to see the addition of a Medical Response Unit to ease pressure on crews.

Chief Ken Uzeloc says the unit would free up trucks, equipment and resources from going to incidents that do not require a fire response.

“If Valleyview is called in to the downtown core, that leaves Valleyview and Dallas exposed without an initial response. It’s coming from somewhere else in the city, so those response times are longer. There is a whole domino effect when these medical calls are tying up resources.”

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Figures from KFR show 67 per cent of responses in 2023 through to the third quarter were medical in nature.

“Right now, if we get a large event or a working structure fire, we actually phone BC Ambulance and tell them that we’re not responding to medical calls anymore, which then leaves another gap in the city,” explains Uzeloc. “Something like [the Medical Response Unit], which would only be used for medical calls and not for other types of events would allow us to continue to provide a bit of a response to citizens.”

He notes that other municipalities around Canada have begun implementing a similar model, as most of the medical calls firefighters respond to do not require more than two people, or the use of a fire truck.

The Medical Response Unit would be based out of Station 2 in Brocklehurst, which Uzeloc says would be the most effective location to operate out of. The unit would be staffed as a day shift, with two firefighters using either a pickup truck or SUV to response to medical calls.

“Strictly going to the medical calls in the downtown core and the east North Shore area, which predominantly is our high call volume area,” notes Uzeloc. “Especially during the day from that 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m time period. (It will be) dealing with a lot of the opioid crisis and the vulnerable population.”

Operating costs are projected to hover around $800,000 to $900,000 annually. Should it be approved, Uzeloc says KFR would need to secure the equipment, and work more with the union to implement the unit and determine scheduling hours.

“Realistically, it’s probably going to take us four to six months to get everything in place if we get the go ahead, and be able to see something on the street.”

Mayor and council were presented with the proposal at this week’s Committee of the Whole meeting (click here to view the document), and a final decision on the request won’t be made until March.