THUNDER BAY — Superior North Emergency Medical Services expects to see a significant improvement in response times in parts of its rural service area once a new paramedic base is built at Kakabeka Falls.
The City of Thunder Bay, which operates the service across the district, has posted a Request for Proposals from parties interested in serving as the prime consultant for the project.
The Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, which would eventually own the new facility, has offered a piece of property in Kakabeka Falls.
When the new base is opened, the existing base on Highway 11/17 in Conmee Township will be closed.
Superior North EMS Chief Wayne Gates says the Conmee site, about eight kilometres west of Kakabeka, is not ideal.
Paramedics based there, he said, currently can get to about 60 calls a year within 12 minutes or less, but "by going to Kakabeka we actually increase that to about 220 calls that we can get to in under 12 minutes, so it's a substantial impact on the response times."
Gates said relocating the station will also relieve some of the pressure on paramedics based in Thunder Bay, since city units are currently dispatched regularly to the Oliver Paipoonge area.
Kakabeka Falls, he noted, provides easy access for emergency calls along multiple routes including Highway 11/17, Highway 590, and Oliver Road.
"We've actually been looking at this for quite a few years," Gates said.
He noted that the Conmee ambulance base was set up after the EMS station at Shabaqua was put out of commission when it was struck by a transport truck in 2001.
"As a result we ended up having to establish a new facility quite quickly, and Conmee Township stepped up and made that site available to us. Over the years, we've been looking at finding a better location."
There's no date for construction to start, as the process is in its early stages. When the cost and other details are assembled, a proposal will be submitted to city council.
Gates said that, ideally, work will start within a year or two.
Superior North EMS operates a total of 19 stations throughout the district, and employs 190 full-time and part-time paramedics.
