Cape Breton Firefighters Defend Medical Response Role

Volunteer fire chiefs in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality are urging council to cease questioning their vital role in responding to medical emergencies. Fire chiefs highlight that the province's limited ambulance availability necessitates firefighter intervention, particularly in rural areas. They report that council members' suggestions that medical calls are too costly or detract from fire response are inaccurate and unsettling.

Community members have expressed concern that volunteer firefighters might cease medical services, underscoring the critical need for this support. Chiefs confirm that each department voluntarily decides its participation and that minimal resources, like smaller trucks and fewer personnel, are dispatched to medical calls. They emphasize that no fire calls have been missed due to these medical responses.

Volunteer fire departments have shared instances where their rapid response directly saved lives. For example, the Glace Bay department's intervention in cardiac arrest calls has resulted in patients recovering and continuing to live in the community. Chiefs are seeking to end the ongoing debate, emphasizing the immense value and positive impact of their medical first responder services.