Local ambulance service will cease, inthe communitiesof Neilburg and Marsden, and the surrounding area,as of June 1, 2013.
Prairie North Health Region and the Manitou Ambulance Board announced this decisionMay 23.
According to the press release, "the decision to close the service was made jointly by the health region and the local ambulance board after continued efforts to recruit new employees to the service proved unsuccessful."
"Staff numbers are declining such that the service cannot be maintained past the first of June," explained Cliff Orriss, PNHR director of Emergency Health Services.
"We fully recognize and appreciate how difficult this decision is for the service's five staff members who have done their very best to maintain emergency medical service care to local and area residents," said Orriss.
"We extend our deepest appreciation to these dedicated professionals who have served their community for many years to meet the needs of patients and their families in emergency situations," Orriss added.
In the press release, Prairie North Health Region also thanked the members of the Manitou Ambulance Board, representing the villages of Neilburg and Marsden, and the rural municipalities of Hillsdale and Manitou Lake, for their efforts in supporting the Neilburg Ambulance Service.
In June of 2010 a similar announcement regarding closure of the local ambulance service was met with an uproar by the community. The earlier announcement, however, was made solely by the Prairie North Health Region, withlocal residentsconcerned that amalgamation of ambulance services would result inloss of lifedue to longer response times.
After a town hall meeting, where residents were forthcoming with their view that the local ambulance service could notbe terminated,the Manitou Ambulance Board was formed. Many local people made donations tohelp equip a new ambulance and theservicecontinued. Unfortunately, theformation of the new groupwas not a long term solution but rathersimply athree-year reprieve from the threatened closure.
As Orriss noted, recentlythere have been only five people providing 24-hour ambulance service to Neilburg and area. This means the volunteers are constantly on call andfind it difficult to be able to live their own lives with their families as they are reluctant to even go out to dinner, in case a call comes in and they are needed to assist someone. Two of the workerssaid they felt they were "letting the community down" as they, personally,were unable tocontinue spendingso many hours on duty with the localambulance service.
Manitou Ambulance Board chairperson, Chelsey Gordon, said, "The Manitou Ambulance Board is indeed saddened by the loss of the Neilburg Ambulance Service. We are incredibly proud of our communities that were able to pull together and retain the service for as long as we have been able to. We will continue to work closely with Prairie North Health Region to establish a successful first responders program."
Gordon added, "To the dedicated volunteers who have given countless hours to our ambulance service, words simply cannot express the gratitude that our communities have for what you do. Without your tireless efforts, our service would not have lasted as long as it has. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you."
Residents of Neilburg, Marsden, and the rural municipalities of Hillsdale and Manitou Lake, will continue to call 911 for ambulance services. After June 1, these services will be dispatched from the nearest available EMS location which could be Lloydminster, Maidstone, Cut Knife or the Heartland Health Region. The Prairie North Health Region will also be providing detailed information on ambulance coverage in a mailout to Neilburg and area residents.
