Yukon communities need more EMS volunteers to fill service gaps, gov't says

The Yukon Government said it's doing everything it can to improve emergency medical services in Yukon communities, but the territory needs more volunteers.

Recently, people in Watson Lake and Dawson City have expressed concern over gaps in local services, including the lack of an available ambulance or paramedic which has led to local fire departments responding to medical emergency calls.

"When it comes to actual coverage [in Dawson]," explained Ryan Soucy, Yukon's deputy chief of technical operations with emergency medical services (EMS), "We do staff two full time primary care paramedics, Monday to Friday.

"We have four auxiliary on-call primary care paramedics ... and then we have six active community responders which are volunteer responders."

In Watson Lake, Soucy said there are four full time primary care paramedics, four auxiliary on-call paramedics, and seven community responders. He said service is available seven days a week during daytime hours.

And Soucy acknowledged that even with many paramedics in the communities, service gaps can occur.

"Within the timeframe of after-hours with volunteers ... They can sign up for a shift and at any given time they can remove themselves from their shifts," Soucy said.

"So some of that short-notice stuff is where we're seeing the reach out to other services."

Soucy said when there is an extended period when service isn't available within the schedule, paramedics from Whitehorse will be sent to the community. He said four new "float" positions have been created so when there is a lapse in a community's local EMS, a paramedic can be readily available to travel to serve the community.

Soucy also said EMS relies on community involvement.

"The more people that are volunteering with EMS, the less gaps in service that we're going to see," he told CBC News.

Soucy said anyone who is interested in volunteering can contact Yukon EMS directly. He said all of the training is paid for, volunteers receive an honorarium when on call, and get paid when they are responding to a call.

"Volunteerism is what keeps our communities alive, and going," he said. 

'Put some money on the table,' says AYC president

Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) president Ted Laking said he agrees with Soucy that more people stepping up to fill volunteer positions would help fill service gaps, but he said the Yukon Government also needs to step up and support those volunteers better.

"Would volunteer services for EMS be acceptable in Whitehorse as the only way to provide the service? If the answer is no, then it shouldn't be acceptable in rural Yukon either," Laking said.

Laking said he understands the challenges around recruitment and retention of volunteers, and said the only way to entice people is to make it worthwhile for them.

"Let's put some skin in the game," he said.

"Let's put some money on the table. Let's start hiring people for these important endeavours to keep our residents safe."

Laking said the issue was discussed during AYC's board meeting last weekend in Carmacks, and that EMS is also on the top of the agenda for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities meetings this week.

"More work needs to be done," he said.

"And more advocacy to raise a profile to this because really this is about the sustainability of our communities and the safety of those who live within them."