Kamloops firefighters practicing CPR on a dummy. (Photo via Kamloops Fire and Rescue)
If the numbers continue to play out as they have been, 2023 will be another record year for Kamloops Fire and Rescue when it comes to medical calls.
With third-quarter numbers up close to 15 percent compared with the same period last year, KFR is on-pace to handle around 7,400 medical calls this year – up significantly from the roughly 6,500 crews attended last year.
“Overall our total call volume is up eight per cent over this time last year,” KFR Chief Ken Uzeloc told NL Newsday. “We’re set to break another record for both total calls and medical calls.”
Third-quarter stats presented to the City of Kamloops by Kamloops Fire Rescue/via City of Kamloops
While the vast majority of the calls Kamloops Fire Rescue attends are medical, Kamloops taxpayers – and not the province – are paying for that.
“We are not compensated for doing that, and that’s where I think the biggest rub is, is that we’re spending our tax dollars here on medical equipment and supplies, training, and then response that takes away from our ability to be able to respond to other calls,” notes Uzeloc.
Despite not being compensated for their efforts, Uzeloc says they will continue their work.
“Generally the fire service is located in community and able to respond quickly,” said Uzeloc.
“We’re seeing that about 75 percent of the calls we go to on medical calls, we do arrive before BC Emergency Health Services.”
Uzeloc says the lack of provincial funding for medical calls is one of the leading concerns that fire chiefs across Canada have been raising the past two years.
