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Frontenac Paramedic honoured for bravery at Queen’s Park after dangerous lake rescue
TORONTO, ON – Frontenac Paramedic Kimberly Fitzsimmons is among a small group of Ontario paramedics who received the inaugural Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery, May 24.
The award was presented at Queen’s Park by Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell, and Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Syliva Jones. The Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery, new this year, is presented in recognition of individual acts of outstanding courage and bravery performed by members of Ontario’s paramedic services. The presentation coincides with Paramedic Services Week.
Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Frontenac Paramedic Kimberly Fitzsimmons, Ontario Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Syliva Jones "It means the world to be among the first paramedics to receive the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery,” says Frontenac Paramedic Kimberly Fitzsimmons. "I am so thankful for the nomination, and it is so special to share this experience with those paramedics who were also honored. Our profession has a unique skill set and does not often get the recognition it so often deserves. I am so happy that this medal signifies a change here. I feel every paramedic ought to be celebrated for what they do."
On August 2, 2022, while off-duty, Fitzsimmons was toweling off after a swim in Lake Ontario when she spotted a man thrashing and then submerging into the water. She immediately dove into the water to rescue the man, who had sunk 15 feet to the bottom of the lake. After surfacing with the unconscious man, Paramedic Fitzsimmons swam them both to a nearby beach. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and without any PPE, she immediately began performing life-saving measures. She continued CPR until first responders arrived and took the man to hospital. Even while off-duty, Paramedic Fitzsimmons put herself in harm’s way to save a stranger’s life.
“It’s a great honour and privilege that one of Frontenac Paramedics is among those who earned the new Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery,” says Frontenac Paramedics Chief Gale Chevalier. “Ms. Fitzsimmons didn’t hesitate, despite great personal risk, to aid a stranger in need. Congratulations Kimberly and thank you for your dedication.”
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More about the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery: https://www.ontario.ca/page/honours-and-awards-bravery#section-2
More about the recipients this year, including Ms. Fitzsimmons: Recipients of Inaugural Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery | Ontario Newsroom
More about Frontenac Paramedics: FrontenacParamedics.ca and engagefrontenac.ca/frontenac-paramedics
More about Paramedic Services Week: https://www.paramedicchiefs.ca/paramedic-services-week-2023/
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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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Frontenac County, Frontenac Paramedics break ground on new paramedic station
Glenburnie, ON – Elected officials, honoured guests, and members of the media gathered at Frontenac County campus at 2069 Battersea Rd. today to kick-off construction of a new Frontenac Paramedics station.The new two-bay paramedics station will add capacity for Frontenac Paramedics to accommodate more ambulances and on-duty paramedics as demand for service continues to grow. The new station, located five minutes north of the Montreal St exit at Highway 401, will primarily serve the Rideau Heights and Montreal St. areas of Kingston, the Highway 401 corridor, and the rapidly developing areas of the Township of South Frontenac.
“Congratulations to the County for such incredible work in maintaining top-notch level of paramedic services not just in Kingston but in rural areas as well,” says Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen. “We truly are grateful for the incredible service you’ve provided over the years.”
A 2019 submission to Frontenac County Council by international emergency services consultancy firm Operational Research in Health Ltd. (ORH) projected that 408 additional weekly ambulance hours will be required by Frontenac Paramedics by 2029. That means three new ambulances and crews and one extra spare ambulance will be needed to maintain service levels as populations grow larger and skew older. The new station will help equip Frontenac Paramedics to accommodate those resources.
“We on Frontenac County Council continue to advocate for fast, reliable, and effective paramedic services for residents of all areas, rural and urban,” says Frontenac County Warden Denis Doyle. “This new base is just one example of that work completed in Frontenac over the last decade to equip paramedics for the future.”
Costs for the new station will be shared between Frontenac County and the City of Kingston.
“This new base is just one of the many steps we’re taking to ensure that Frontenac Paramedics is staffed and equipped to meet the new realities,” says Frontenac Paramedics Chief Gale Chevalier. “We appreciate the support of Frontenac County Council.”
It is expected that the new base will be ready for in the spring. More information about the new Frontenac Paramedics station project can be found here: https://bit.ly/3LUK3Yt(External link).
More information about Frontenac County Council’s and Frontenac Paramedics’ plan for the future can be found here: https://bit.ly/3dQz7OX(External link)
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Frontenac County Council approves plan for construction of new Frontenac Paramedics station in Glenburnie
Preliminary work is underway for a new Frontenac Paramedics station to be built on the existing Frontenac County Administration Campus at 2069 Battersea Road in Glenburnie. Frontenac County Council has authorized County staff to complete the necessary planning work and to issue a request for proposals for construction of the new two-bay station. When complete, the new station will bring the number of Frontenac Paramedics stations serving Frontenac County and Kingston to eight. The project is expected to cost up to $3 million.
“This new Paramedic base is the next critical step in our long-term plan to ensure Frontenac Paramedics are fully equipped to serve residents of Frontenac County and Kingston as the need for service increases in the coming years,” says Frontenac County Warden, Denis Doyle. “Building the new station on the Frontenac County Campus will help maintain response times while saving taxpayers the costs associated with buying or leasing new land.”
The location of the new station will add to Frontenac Paramedics’ overall capacity. It will especially 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 rapidly developing areas of The Township of South Frontenac.
“We’ve seen sharply increased demands on Paramedics and all frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic and we’re anticipating that call volume will increase at least 4.5 percent every year for the next decade,” says Frontenac Paramedics Chief Gale Chevalier. “This new base is just one of the many steps we’re taking to ensure that Frontenac Paramedics is staffed and equipped to meet these realities. We appreciate the support of Frontenac County Council.”
