1 of 4
Oakville News
Halton Region Ambulance
2 of 4
Oakville News
Paramedic Day
3 of 4
Oakville News
Paramedic Day
4 of 4
Oakville News
Paramedic Day
To honour local paramedics, Halton Region held its annual Paramedic Day, yesterday on Saturday, May 27 at Woodlands Operations Centre. The event capped off Paramedic Services Week, which began last weekend.
Residents got to climb on board emergency vehicles, discover paramedic gear, learn CPR, and sample food from local vendors. Kids enjoyed bouncy castles, face paintings, cotton candy, balloons, crafts, and ice cream. Kareena M., a mom who was driving past the area, spotted a giant inflatable slide and decided to stop over so her son could play. She initially had no idea about the event, but "learning about paramedics was a welcome surprise."
Most of the attendees we spoke to were there to support their paramedic spouses.
Every year, paramedics respond to over 55,000 calls from 15 ambulance stations in Halton, and over 35,000 patients are transported. There are over 270 paramedics and 36 ambulances; they support four hospitals. 55 babies have also been delivered within the past five years.
The top five reasons residents call 9-1-1 are:
- Muscular or skeletal trauma
- General illness or weakness
- Severe pain
- Breathing issues
- Lift assist
Gary Carr, Halton Regional Chair, praised the work paramedics do as “they provide life-saving treatment, deliver programming to educate our community and provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week." The event was an "opportunity to celebrate and thank them for all their efforts to respond to emergencies and provide critical care in Halton.”
