There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the demand for ambulance service in Hastings and Prince Edward counties.
Chief of Hastings/Quinte Paramedic Services Carl Bowker told Hastings County’s Emergency Management Committee Wednesday that the opening of new ambulance bases in Stirling-Rawdon and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has improved service in rural areas while call volume has remained steady.
However, in Belleville the number of calls for service has increased by 3,000 over five years and while call volume to the base in Quinte West hasn’t changed much, the statistics don’t include the over 600 calls in the city that have been handled by Northumberland County paramedics.
Further analysis showed that Quinte West personnel only responded to 67 per cent of the calls coming from their area.
Bowker says staffing levels in Belleville/Quinte West will have to be addressed.
