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7TuesdayMay272014ByMARIACHURCHForChrisBirdbeingavol-unteeremergencyresponderinhishomecommunityofFortSmithissomethinghewisheshebeganearlier.Itsahobbyforme.Iloveit.SomepeopleliketrainsorphotographyorwhateverbutIlovethishesharedwithTheJournallastweek.BirdchosetovolunteerforthetownsEmergencyMedi-calServicesEMSaboutthreeyearsagoafterhiswifeexperiencedamedicalemergencyintown.Hewasbeyondthankfulforthecareshownbytheemergencyre-spondersanddecideditwastimetogiveback.Formeitstheultimatewaytogivebacktothecom-munitybyhelpingpeoplethataresickandpeoplethatarenotfeelingwell.Youreabletocareforthemwhileyoubringthemtothehos-pitalwhetheritsatraumainjuryoramedicalemer-gencyhesaid.May25to31isCanadianEMSWeekacountry-widenodtomedicalpersonnelwhoprovidelife-savingservicesonthefrontline.InFortSmiththeEMScrewisentirelyvolunteerwithbothemergencymedi-calrespondersandambulancedriversontheteam.EMSstaffshorthandedAccordingtoBirdtheTownofFortSmithisfacingaseriousshortageofEMSstaffthathascurrentmem-bersstretchedtotheirlimits.Wevehadvolunteernum-bersgoupanddownwithinter-estandrightnowwereinoneofthoselowdips.Wehaveabouteightmembersrightnowandwithpeoplesjobsandsched-ulessometimesthatgoesdowntothreeorfourhesaid.ItsquitetaxingonthemembersBirdsaid.Ideallywedhave15tobeabletoworkwithpeoplesschedules.Whenhestartedthreeyearsagotherewere20peo-pleontheEMSteamwhichmeanteachmemberwasoncallforacomfortableoneineveryveweeks.WithonlythreeorfourrespondersBirdisalmostalwaysoncall.Theredoesntseemtobeadayoffhesaidcitinganaverageofaround35to40callsamonthwithsomedayscompletelysilentandotherswithmultiplecalls.ThestaffshortageisnotforanyspecicreasonBirdsaid.Overthelastyearthecrewhaslostseveralmem-berssomemovingawayfromthecommunityandotherswhoforonereasonoran-othercannolongermakethecommitment.Wevebeenreplacingthemwithonehereandonetherebutwerelosingthemfasterthanwearegettingthemhesaid.Thejobitselfisnotforev-eryoneBirdadmittedbutthemostcommonconcernaboutdealingwithbloodandgutsisnotsomethingtheEMSstaffseeregularly.WhileEMSstaffoperateunderthepurviewofthetownBirdsaidhealongwithco-coordinatorTonyJonesdotheirownrecruitingmainlythroughwordofmouth.BecauseoftheseriousnessoftheshortageBirdsaidtheyarestartingtothrowaroundideasonhowtostepuprecruitingef-fortsinthecommunity.OneideaistoholdanopenhouseatthelocalhealthcarecentretoencouragethetowntocomeoutandsupportEMSstaff.AnotherideacomesfromHayRiverwheretherede-partmentandEMSworkjointlywithvolunteerstafftrainedtooperateasbothreghtersandemergencymedicalresponders.WeseewhattheFortSmithredepartmentdoesforrecruitingandtheyseemtohavealotofpeoplegravi-tatetothemBirdsaid.Theredepartmentcurrentlyhasaround18members.WhileEMSrespondsto250to300callsayearinFortSmiththeredepartmentav-erages40to50callsayear.ShortageaterritorialconcernMayorFortSmithMayorBradBrakewhoservedontheEMSteamintheearly2000ssaidtheproblemisnotlimitedtoFortSmithbutisterritorial.Brakesaidhebroughtfor-wardthetownsconcernsaboutemergencystaffshort-agesattheannualgeneralmeetingoftheNWTAsso-ciationofCommunitiesinInuvikinearlyMay.SeveralothercommunitiesagreedtheyhadissueswithEMSshortageshesaid.AccordingtoBrakethesolutionshouldcomefromtheterritorialgovernment.Thereshouldbeaterri-torialambulanceservice.Itshouldberunbytheterri-torialgovernmentitshouldbemaintainedbytheter-ritorialgovernmentanditshouldhaveemployedemer-gencymedicaltechnicianshesaid.BrakesaidhisrequestfortheGNWTtoassumerespon-sibilitywasinitiallydeclinedbutheconsidersthatonlytherstofmanyconversationstocome.UntilthenBrakesaidthetownwillbebrainstormingwaystobolstervolunteerre-cruitmentandgivesomere-lieftothecurrentmembersfacingburnout.FormoreinformationaboutCanadianEMSWeekvisithttpswww.facebook.comemsweekFortSmithsvolunteerEMSfacingstaffshortageTownwantsGNWTtoassumeresponsibilityforambulanceHealthWellnessEmergencyServicesByMARIACHURCHHundredsofHayRiverresidentsdescendeduponthenewcommunityreandemergencymedicalservicesEMShallFridaytocele-bratethegrandopeningofthelong-anticipatedfacility.FireghterswhooperatejointlyasEMScrewof-ciallymovedintothenewhallinlateJanuarybutheldoffcelebrationsuntillastweektowelcomethecommunitytotourthenewdigsandjointhemforabarbecue.Acrowdofaround400cameoutfortheeventwhichincludedspeechesbyMayorAndrewCassidyFireChiefRossPotterandlocalMLAsRobertBouchardandJaneGroenewegenthelatterpresentingaservicemeritawardtotheHayRiverFireDepartmentonbehalfofRobertMcLeodministerofMunicipalandCommu-nityAffairs.Itwasagreatturnout-thebiggesteventwevehadinsometimePottersaid.Thenewhallhasbeenintheworksforthepast15yearswithseveralfalsestartsbutitwasntuntil2006whenthe40year-oldhallwascon-demnedthatplansstartedformingtorelocatehesaid.Whilepreviouslyemer-gencyvehicleswerespreadoutacrosstwolocationsintownthenewhall-locatedjustacrossthestreetfromtheoldhall-isnowlargeenoughtofit10vehicleswhichmeansalmostalloftheemergencyvehiclesareunderoneroof.Beforewehadtrucksinnewtownandtrucksinoldtownwhichinterferedwithresponsetimeparticularlywithambulancehighwayrescueandalsoforservic-ingthecorridorandoldtownareaPottersaid.Gettingallthetrucksintoonehallisahugebenet.Thefacilitywasbuiltwithfederalandterritorialfundstotalling6.1millionandisnowuptosnufftomeetnationalcodesforapost-disasterfacilitymean-ingitisequippedtoaidresidentswhenfacedwithlargerlocalemergenciessuchasfiresfloodingandearthquakes.FortheEMSandrecrew-allofwhomarecommunityvolunteerssaveforPotter-havinganewhallhasliftedtheteamscollectivespiritstherechiefsaid.Moraleisalwaysrela-tivelyhighinmydepartmentbutitsreallypeakednow.Theguysfeelreallyappre-ciatedPottersaid.Theribboncuttingcere-monyonFridaywelcomedallpastandpresentemer-gencyandrecrewmem-berstojointhecelebration.Currentlyaround30volun-teersoperatethefacility.Sincetherehallwasestablishedin1950exactly341membershaveservedonthecrewPottersaid.Overthepast37yearsthathehasservedinHayRiverofwhichthelast12andahalfhavebeenservedonandoffasrechiefthedepartmenthasneverreallystruggledtondrecruitsPottersaid.Typicallytheyareabletodrawagoodnumberofout-goingindividualswhoarewillingtoputintimeandef-forttogivebacktothecom-munityhesaid.HayRivercutstheribbononnewfirehallPhotoMariaChurchPhotoScottClouthierHealthWellnessEmergencyServicesHundredsofHayRiverresidentsleinforafreebarbecuelunchandtourofthenewrehallandEMScentre.FortSmithsEMScrewfromleftJonahGordonAdamBatheChrisBirdMatthewBirdandTonyJones.Thecrewismadeupentirelyofvolunteersfromthearea.