Paramedics respond to record number of calls in 2015
Last year's rate of calls 'continues to outpace population growth,' report finds
Waterloo Region paramedics saw another record year in terms of call volume along with a minor slowdown in response times.
A regional report revealed that for the third year in a row, local paramedics experienced a record call volume in 2015.
In total, the report found 39,020 calls were made in 2015, while 37,274 calls were made in 2014. The difference experienced last year is equivalent to nearly five extra calls per day in comparison to 2014.
The region also set a new quarterly record with 9,958 calls reported during the final three months of 2015.
Compared to 2014, the average response time to emergency calls slowed in 2015 by 13 seconds from nine minutes, 36 seconds to nine minutes, 49 seconds.
In 2015, the rate of calls per 1,000 population was up 3.3 per cent from 2014 and "continues to outpace population growth, and was likely influenced by an aging population," the report found. The number of total calls for the same period was up 4.7 per cent.
The majority of calls made in 2015 were reported in Kitchener, which also had the quickest response time in comparison to any municipality, at nine minutes, four seconds.
The peak time for calls in 2015 took place at 11 a.m., with 52 per cent of incidents being reported at that time, before tapering off for the rest of the day.
