Region of Peel To Donate Ambulances To Small Canadian Communities
Published July 30, 2019 at 9:42 pm
The Region of Peel just donated four retired ambulances to communities in Nunavut.
The Region of Peel just donated four retired ambulances to communities in Nunavut.
“When Peel Paramedics hear a cry for help, they respond – even if that cry is coming from a remote northern hamlet 3,000 km away,” states Peel Paramedics on its website.
On July 30, the region will be sending four retired Peel ambulances to Valleyfield and Ste Catherine, Quebec, where they’ll be shipped to Nunavut.
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“Most health care in the North requires a flight to the Ottawa hospital. Patients are generally transported to the airport in a pick-up truck, sometimes lying on a door taken from a nearby house,” explains retired Waterloo Paramedic Chief John Prno, who reached out to Peel Paramedic Chief Peter Dundas a few weeks ago. “This makes it difficult to give the patients the pre-hospital care they need.”
The region has been getting the ambulances ready for this cause, which they have stated was no small task.
“Timelines are extremely tight. There are no roads to Nunavut, so the ambulances have to be shipped before the sealift season ends and the water turns to ice,” says Chief Dundas.
In the past few days, Peel Regional Paramedic Services’ logistics staff have located, cleaned and stripped the vehicles.
They’ve also arranged for the ambulances to be customized by the vendor at no cost. They will also be donating some stretchers and mattresses.
“When we couldn’t find enough mattresses, we asked our friends in Toronto to chip in, which they did,” says Chief Dundas.
Public Works mechanics have also made sure the ambulances were in good condition. While staff volunteers are preparing to drive them to Quebec before the August 1 cut-off.
“So many people pitched in to get us to this point, which speaks to our service’s innate desire to save lives,” says Chief Dundas. “Whether you’re in downtown Brampton or on the snowy streets of Igloolik, if you need help, we’ll get it to you.”
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