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By Caden Fanshaw

Mackenzie

‘Lives are at risk’: Mackenzie residents struggle with sparse ambulance coverage

Feb 14, 2023 | 9:32 AM

MACKENZIE – After many other communities across BC recently received boosts in ambulance coverage from the province, the community of Mackenzie remains in limbo.

According to Mayor Joan Atkinson, the community is under-serviced compared to its neighbours with no funding in place from the Ministry of Health to improve the situation.

“The things that concerns me the most when we have a diversion is our lack of paramedic staffing,” said Atkinson. “We have three part-time paramedics in this community. We were not bumped up to the eighth full-time as most communities in the north were.”

Atkinson said the rural community of over 3,000 deserves more than a trio of paramedics who are employed on a part-time basis. With the local hospital on and off of diversions, transportation nearly 200 km to Prince George is essential at times for proper care.

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Despite reported frustration from local healthcare staff, Northern Health declined to comment on the matter.

Troy Clifford, President of the Ambulance Paramedics of BC (APBC) called the status of service his top priority, Clifford said it is not feasible for residents or staff members to continue on this rotation.

CKPG News reached out to the BC Ministry of Health to ask why the community never got a bump in funded positions. As of Tuesday morning, the Ministry had not responded to the request.