Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: November 03, 2009 7:00 PM
Provincial cuts have left first medical responders in doubt in the North Okanagan. The Emergency and Health Services Commission will chop the $250,000 it provides for first aid training among firefighters in March. “Sixty-six per cent of our call base is first responders and this funding withdrawal may have an impact on that,” said Jeff Carlisle, Vernon fire chief. Under government funding, firefighters would be certified for three years and then they would return to their halls and train their colleagues. First responders attend to medical incidents when B.C. Ambulance personnel are unavailable. The Vernon department is assessing whether training can occur in-house. “If we have to pay additional costs, it would have to go before council as to whether we would continue with the program,” said Carlisle.
As a result of the cuts, an upcoming training session at the BX-Swan Lake fire hall has been cancelled. “I’m surprised the provincial government would do something like this,” said Bill Wacey, BX-Swan Lake chief. “There’s a shortage of trainers. Trying to keep qualified instructors is a problem.” Firefighters from the BX, Vernon, Coldstream and North Westside were scheduled to attend the course. Wayne Carson, North Westside fire chief, says all communities pay virtually the entire bill for first responders. “They’ve taken the only funding they’ve provided and pulled it,” he said of the government. “We could be increasing the tax requisition to subsidize a provincial program which is health care.”
Carson isn’t sure if he will be able to access other training courses or exams, but he insists first responders will continue at his department “In an area like ours, it’s an essential service because the ambulance is 45 minutes away,” he said. In a letter to Health Minister Kevin Falcon, the Fire Chiefs Association of B.C. protests the cuts. “The FCABC is concerned that should this funding reduction go through as announced the ramifications may result in reduced pre-hospital care services and/or cancellation of the first responder program involvement by local governments,” writes president Stephen Gamble. “As you are aware the $250,000 allocated for this program represents a small portion of the overall pre-hospital care funding budget for B.C. and the benefits that arise from this small investment are immense.” No one from the Emergency and Health Services Commission could be reached for comment by press time.
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