Frontenac County cuts paramedic shift on Wolfe Island

Waiting in line for the Wolfe Island ferry, it’s not hard to find people concerned that soon there will no longer be an ambulance standing by ‘on’ Wolfe Island.

“Time is of the essence” says Lee Tripple, and island resident “You take an extra half hour to get the paramedic from the hospital to the ferry, 20 minutes over on the ferry, another 20-30 minutes to stabilize the person, another 20 minutes back. Now we’re talking two and a half hours.”

On Wednesday, Frontenac County council voted to ‘remove’ an eight-hour staffed paramedic shift and 16 hours of on-call service from Wolfe Island. A decision residents like Eva Hulton were not too pleased about.

“I don’t think it’s a very good idea at all. We’re going back in time instead of forward. For 25 years, we’ve had an ambulance on the island.”

The Wolfe Island paramedic shift was only staffed during six days last year. But council also approved the hiring of eight ‘new’ full-time paramedics… who will be stationed in Kingston, staffing 12-hour ambulance crew shifts. And because of that County Warden Ron Vandewal says he believes paramedic service to Wolfe Island will actually be ‘better’ served after this change, with more paramedics ready to head to the Island when called upon.

“We actually feel that it should enhance, because when those two ferries become operational in May, it cuts the time back and forth in half.”

Gale Chevalier the Chief of Frontenac Paramedics agrees.

“Having resources in the city of Kingston, combined with the additional boat that is going to be going to Wolfe Island, is going to ensure that the citizens of Wolfe Island are served well.”

Despite the concerns of many islanders, Mayor of Frontenac Islands, Judy Greenwood-Speers, says that she will respect the decision of the County Council. For now, the ambulance shifts will remain on the island until later this year, once the new paramedics are hired, and on-duty… and a second ferry has begun service.