Brandon paramedics are burned-out as calls rise and they cover more emergencies in the surrounding area like Shilo, Souris and Rivers.
In a social media post, Brandon Firefighters/Paramedics Local 803 says the number of calls neared 7,000 last year, and the city only has only two primary ambulances at each of its fire halls – a number that hasn’t changed in 25 years.
The union says a document titled, the October 2021 Medical Transportation Coordination Centre Ground Report, pointed to 17,000 hours of no ambulance coverage in rural Manitoba – a five-year high – and transfers to Winnipeg have soared by 300% in the past 25 years.
Shared Health says efforts are underway to hire more paramedics to reduce the reliance on overtime or on-call staffing. It has admitted there have been days in Prairie Mountain Health where staff shortages have hit 40% of what’s needed to provide coverage.