Frontenac County approves $1 million in new spending for Frontenac Paramedics
GLENBURNIE, ON – Frontenac County Council today voted unanimously to approve a 2023 budget that includes $1 million to hire eight new full-time Paramedics to staff two new 12-hour ambulance crew shifts stationed in the City of Kingston.
“There’s a lot of demand for Paramedics’ time across the County,” says Frontenac County Warden Ron Vandewal. “We have to do more with less spending power this year but people’s health is the most important thing. Having more paramedics on the road in the city will help to reduce the number times paramedics stationed in rural areas are called to Kingston.”
Frontenac County and Frontenac Paramedics broke ground in October on a new two-bay, $3-million, paramedic station on Frontenac County campus just north of 401 at Montreal St. The previous projection for increasing demand for paramedic services in the City of Kingston as the population grows and grows older was about 3.8 percent per year through 2029 but Frontenac Paramedics’ data show an increase of at least five percent per year in each of the last two years. As well as rising call volumes, paramedics are spending more time on scene and more time at emergency departments before patients are passed to hospital care than anticipated.
“These much-needed new resources will help ensure that we are able to continue to maintain the high standard of patient care we’ve promised,” says Frontenac Paramedics Chief Gale Chevalier. “I want to thank members of Frontenac County Council and their funding partners for supporting this plan, especially during this year of such difficult financial choices.”
The new resources are also in addition to the new $3-million paramedics station planned for construction later this year on Frontenac County campus in Glenburnie. When complete, the new station will help to address paramedic response times where demand is high in the Rideau Heights and Montreal St. areas of Kingston, the Highway 401 corridor, and the rapidly developing areas of The Township of South Frontenac.
Background:
Frontenac Paramedics Chief Gale Chevalier presentation to Council, Feb 8
Frontenac County, Frontenac Paramedics break ground on new paramedic station
Frontenac Paramedics - A Plan for the Future
Matt Mills, Communications Officer, County of Frontenac
Phone: 613-548-9400 x 305 Email: mmills@frontenaccounty.ca
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