An ambulance service based out of Martensville, Sask., is expected to commence in November.
The provincial government will provide $1.16 million annually to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) to support emergency medical services and improve response times for communities immediately north of Saskatoon.
“This funding will support the addition of one staffed ambulance for the area,” SHA provincial programs executive director Rod MacKenzie said in a statement.
“This enhancement will provide improved EMS service to supplement first responder services to the area and communities such as Warman, Martensville, Borden, Dalmeny, Hepburn, Langham and Osler.”
An official said Martensville was chosen over the nearby city of Warman because it’s more central to a slightly higher population of the area, decreasing response distance and times to a greater number of residents.
Medavie Health Services West will set up and staff the new response base.
“We look forward to getting to work with the City of Martensville as quickly as possible to put the resources in place to begin operations and improve ambulance service to all of the communities in this area,” Medavie Chief Gerry Schriemer said in a press release.
In a phased approach, SHA is expected to start the ambulance service operating 12 hours/day this month and then double the hours in March 2022.
Martensville is roughly 10 km north of Saskatoon.
Comments