Paramedics battle 'code red' influx in Waterloo Region
Region of Waterloo paramedics say code red has been issued a lot more lately -- when there are no ambulances available to respond to an emergency call.
In December, the region’s paramedics saw 11 periods of code red.
“We are seeing an increase in code reds certainly in December and the first two weeks of January,” said Robert Crossan, deputy chief for Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services.
For context, the region had four months in 2021 where it didn’t see any code red periods. The highest month before December only saw six code reds.
Breakdown of code reds in Waterloo Region in 2021:
- January: 0
- February: 5
- March: 0
- April: 0
- May: 3
- June: 5
- July: 3
- August: 5
- September: 0
- October: 6
- November: 4
- December: 11
Pair the jump in code reds with a record number of call volume in recent weeks, and officials say it spells disaster.
“It’s troubling. We want to see it at zero,” Crossan said.
In terms of what’s driving the spike, the pandemic is part of the problem. COVID-19 patients are taking up hospital beds, meaning new patients coming to the hospital have to stay on the ambulance for longer periods of time.
“Last night we had two crews at the same time at one of the hospitals. One was on offload for 11 hours and 30 minutes and the other was on offload for eight hours. That’s crushing, a shift is 12 hours,” said Crossan.
The president of the union representing Waterloo Region’s paramedics says that’s only part of the problem.
“We need an immediate influx of four 24-hour ambulances to even try and catch up and maintain what’s happening right now,” said Luke McCann, an active paramedic and president of CUPE 5191.
Both the union and the region’s paramedic services agree that staffing shortages are also a key contributor.
“I think the estimate is somewhere between 50 and 60 paramedics have left since January 2020,” said McCann.
The Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service hasn’t seen a rise in code reds, but the problem in Waterloo Region is still cause for concern because it’s a neighbouring community.
“If there were no ambulances available in Waterloo Region ... they would dispatch one of our ambulances to the call,” said Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service Chief Stephen Dewar. “The more calls that we have, or the ambulances that are tied up, the longer our response times get.”
It’s something the union representing Waterloo Region’s paramedics says they saw coming.
“The system was under pressure pre-pandemic,” said McCann.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.