West coast fire departments to answer medical calls, if ambulance more than 10 minutes away

Local fire departments in eight western Newfoundlandcommunities are now able to provide medical help when firefighters are the nearest first responders.

Eddie Joyce, the minister responsible for fire and emergency services,said this corrects a problem that cropped up after the implementation of province-wide 911 services in March of 2015.

• Close calls, crucial lost minutes prompt 911 changes

Since then, Joyce said ambulances were dispatched from Western Regional Memorial Hospital to deal with medical problems across the entire HumberBay of Islands area, despite volunteer firefighters able and willing to respond more quickly.

"What you found in many cases is that...the fire departmentsweren't even contacted, and they were within a minute, two minutes away. Andthis caused a lot of stress," Joyce told CBC News.

Joyce said in the last month, communities outside of a 10-minute response window from the hospital were contacted and asked if they wanted to take over responding to medical emergencies.

For those that opted in,911 dispatcherswill now call the fire departmentsto respond to any medical emergency that comes through their system fromthose communities.

'A great idea'

The head of the fire department for York Harbour and Lark Harbourapplauded the reversal.

"For us to be cut out of the loop, Idon't think it was a great idea in the first place," said Fire Chief Paul MacDonald.

"To go back to the way it was before, Ithink it's a great idea."

MacDonald saidsince 911 came into being, his crew has been far less busy.

To go back to the way it was before, I think it's a great idea.- Fire Chief Paul MacDonald

"It was a dramatic difference. The councils used to spend good money on us to get us all medical training,and for us to be put pretty much on the back burner, Ididn't think was any need of it."

The communities havehad to ensure their firefighters meet specific medical assistancecriteria.

"They aren't trained as paramedics, but they are trained as the first responders in first aid, and a lot of them have extensive training," said Joyce.

"We can make a difference. We're minimum 45 minutes away from Corner Brook, and when a person's got chest pains and difficulty breathing,that's 45 minutes where there's oxygen, and we can make a different to that person," said MacDonald.

The eight communities that opted for this new approach are as follows:

• York Harbour
• Lark Harbour
• McIver's
• Gillams
• Meadows
• Humber Arm South
• Hughes Brook
• Irishtown-Summerside

Joyce said Cox's Cove will also be added to that list in the near future.