Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services
Friday, February 19, 2007

CAMBRIDGE BAY - Cambridge Bay firefighters are refusing to make local ambulance pickups and are deciding whether to cancel their contract with the Kitikmeot Health Centre.

In mid-January, the fire department stopped providing local ambulance service. According to Fire Chief Derek Elias, it was just too much for the volunteers to handle.

"There was no plan, and the next thing we know we had become a pizza delivery service," said Elias. "We were getting burned out, and it was taking away from their other employment."

But the Cambridge Bay Fire Department isn't willing to let anyone die on their watch.

"We would respond if it is a total emergency," said Elias.

While they won't do local pickups, the department of Health and Social Services contracts the fire department to provide medevac service from the airport to the Kitikmeot Regional Health Centre. The department is reviewing that contract.

"There is a big misconception in town about it," said Elias. "We are having a meeting to decide whether to keep that contract or not."

Liability a factor

Liability is another reason the fire department has backed off local service. Their ambulance isn't even an ambulance, which has Elias worried.

"It is not a fully-certified ambulance," he said. "That vehicle was originally used to transport firefighters to the scene. The past chief decided it would be a good moneymaker for the department to turn it into an ambulance. Our firefighters are only trained to Level Two, they are not EMTs. The whole town called it an ambulance, but it isn't."

Hamlet officials were reluctant to discuss the ambulance service in Cambridge Bay. SAO Bill Buckle did not return four phone messages left for him over the course of a week.

Each time the receptionist asked who was calling and upon hearing the answer News/North, she said, "He is in a meeting," and forwarded the call to Buckle's voicemail.

When, after a week of repeated calls, the receptionist did not ask the identity of the caller, Buckle picked up the phone.

"I want to let the mayor be the one to comment on that," was Buckle's response.

He was quick to retract that statement, as Cambridge Bay Mayor Michelle Gillis works for the Department of Health and Social Services.

"It is a conflict of interest, you should call (deputy mayor) Sidney Glawson," said Buckle.

Glawson was stuck in Yellowknife due to poor weather in Cambridge Bay and could not be reached prior to News/North deadlines.