Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. — Sally Koch
In an emergency situation, when someone is hurt and their life is danger, seconds matter. When you see an emergency vehicle approaching with their lights flashing, slow down, safely get out of the way and move to the right.
Emergency vehicles include ambulances, police cruisers and fire trucks.
Halton Region Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responds to more than 50,000 calls each year. Many of the emergency calls come during high-traffic times which presents a challenge in reaching the victims. Even with the 11 EMS stations and 20 vehicles throughout the Region, having a clear, unobstructed roadway is so important.
We are very fortunate to have such great Emergency Medical Services in Halton Region. They are among the best in the province. For the past decade, Halton Region EMS has consistently met or been below the minimum required response times which are set according to the Province’s Ambulance Act.
Meeting or being below the Provincial response time standard has a lot to do with the residents and commuters on the roads. As the Region’s population grows, it only natural that calls for paramedics will grow too. When you are out and about, be safe but mindful of your surroundings when in your car – you never know whose life depends on it. Slow down and move to the right when you see an emergency vehicle approaching you from behind.
Time is always essential. A one or two minute delay will feel like an eternity for those involved in a car-crash or those doing bystander CPR on a cardiac arrest victim.
With everyone’s help, Halton Region will continue to be a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.
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As always, if you have any Regional concerns or comments you would like to share, please feel free to email me at gary.carr@halton.ca. You can also find me on Twitter @garycarrhalton or on Facebook. To receive further updates on Regional issues, please subscribe to my quarterly e-newsletter, “The Carr Report.”
Chair's Corner - Halton Region, Ontario 