Ambulance base plan questioned at Hastings County council

An update on proposed plans for a new ambulance base in the Centre Hastings area raised some questions at Hastings County council on Thursday.

As part of the 2020 budget, $50,000 was allocated to support the design of the new base.

This included investigating vacant land, existing buildings, and to work with the county engineer on design options.

The budget is $950,000.

Paramedic Services chief Doug Socha tells Quinte News, “This year we’re going to be planning on looking at land and doing a base design in conjunction with the facilities department and our county engineer. The intent certainly is still to build it within the Central Hastings area, that was always the intent. It’s really just trying to determine the scope of the project.”

“… some needs around increasing storage for vehicles as well as training requirements and our maintenance and supply with medication. How we deal with maintenance of all our vehicles and stretchers and oxygen testing and those things.”

He added, “Really it’s trying to create a central area for us to do that and how we can deploy ambulances from there into different areas as we move to a mobile deployment plan.”

Deputy Warden Bonnie Adams questioned why build a central base in Centre Hastings rather than others in the north.

“Other than having everything in say Centre Hastings area have we looked at having different bays in other areas within Hastings County to spread the transportation out for faster response of service?”

Paramedic Services Chief Doug Socha tells Quinte News the large geographic area is a challenge.

“We’re seeing an increase in population and an increase in the aging population and that’s driving the growth – not only our paramedic services but others.”

Socha added, “We’re obviously looking in the Centre Hastings area. That’s always been the goal of the strategic plan. Once we have the base in the Centre Hastings area then we can deploy ambulances from that area to to smaller posts if we want to do something like we’re currently doing with Belleville to Tweed. So there’s lots of options on the deployment side. It ‘s really making sure that we have the base in the Centre Hastings area in order to have that flexibility in how we manage the deployment plan.”

“It takes time for ambulances to be redeployed from other areas. So being in the central area we can respond to both the northern communities as well as respond to the busier urban core.”

Socha emphasized that the goal this year is to look at building design and look at land with the construction to take place next year.