As a frontline Primary Care Paramedic working out of the Fort Frances Station, I am increasingly concerned about the ongoing down-staffing at the Emo Paramedic Station.
As I write this letter, I am preparing to work an evening shift in Fort Frances. I was originally scheduled to work in Emo, but due to staffing shortages, I was reassigned. As a result, Emo will again be down-staffed – meaning there is no full two-person crew available. At times, a single Paramedic may be present to provide first response, but without a second Paramedic, they cannot transport a patient and must wait on scene for a full crew to arrive.
Down-staffing has been a persistent issue for Rainy River District Paramedic Services. There are simply not enough fully qualified Paramedics available. Although recruitment efforts have brought in new hires, attrition continues. Several Paramedics have resigned or reduced their hours to take positions with other local agencies. For example, at least three former Paramedics are now working with CMHA as Mobile Crisis Response workers alongside OPP and Treaty Three Police. Others have reduced their availability to pursue opportunities with neighbouring services such as Naotkamewanning EMS and Northwest EMS.
The renewed contract, which includes improved wages and benefits, is a positive step. However, it still lacks a retention incentive based on years of service – an incentive already in place for the Ontario Provincial Police and full-time Fort Frances firefighters. During negotiations, Hicks Morley lawyer Mark Mason explained that such incentives do not currently exist in the EMS sector, and the DRRSB was unwilling to introduce one. In my view, the reluctance stems from a desire not to set a provincial precedent, something Hicks Morley has historically aimed to avoid during municipal collective bargaining.
I encourage concerned residents to speak with their representatives on the Rainy River District Services Board and advocate for meaningful retention incentives for experienced Paramedics. Paramedics with decades of service—who routinely face high stress, physical and psychological injury risk, and low retirement rates—deserve recognition for their commitment. A retention incentive would help reduce the staffing shortages that continue to affect our district.
For ongoing updates related to down-staffing in the Rainy River District, please visit the Rainy River District Healthcare Watch Facebook page. Local Paramedics are under tremendous pressure to meet community needs. It is time for the DRRSB to take meaningful action and implement retention incentives that will keep experienced, frontline Paramedics working in our region.
– Kevin Douse
