Ambulance service to increase in Vernon as calls continue to climb

Photo: BCEHS

Vernon will see an increase in ambulance service beginning in April.

Speaking to Vernon city council Monday, a BC Emergency Health Services spokesperson presented a report noting Vernon will get an additional ambulance starting April 2.

The report, presented by Dan Zawyrucha, district manager of clinical operations, says that would bring Vernon's emergency services capacity to five daytime ambulances, each with staggered times.

Two of those would be 24-hours ambulances.

Zawyrucha's report notes Vernon's ambulance station is staffed by 34 full-time and 20 part-time staff.

Smaller communities are typically staffed with on-call coverage, which creates challenges for reliable coverage and recruitment – and prompted a review of paramedic staffing levels across the province in 2021.

The report shows call volumes were up last year in Vernon.

Total call volume was 10,798 in 2021 and climbed to 10,940 in 2022.

There were an average of 34 responses every 24 hours.

Overdose calls also increased – from 491 in 2021, to 546 in 2022.