Falkland and its surrounding area, according to Columbia Shuswap Regional District Falkland director Rene Talbot, does not have first responders.
Talbot wants to change that.
He is seeking support from municipalities and regional districts to have an ambulance stationed in Falkland, saying there are several issues with receiving an ambulance from Armstrong, Vernon or Kamloops.
The biggest issue, he said, is time.
“It takes an average of 35 minutes just to drive here from Vernon or Armstrong without any traffic delays,” said Talbot.
On top of the time it takes to have an ambulance come from another jurisdiction is the length of the call.
“When Falkland receives an ambulance from other jurisdictions, that jurisdiction is down an ambulance until the call is completed,” said Talbot, who has sent letters to the Thompson Nicola Regional District, District of Chase, Township of Spallumcheen, and Cities of Vernon, Armstrong and Salmon Arm seeking support for the station.
The City of Armstrong has backed his request.
“They don’t have any ambulances in Falkland,” said Mayor Chris Pieper. “Stationing an ambulance in Falkland probably wouldn’t have a lot of use but when there is a call, it always pulls an ambulance out of Vernon or Armstrong.
“There’s also a lot of transfers between Vernon and Kamloops hospitals. If an ambulance was stationed in Falkland, it would help all of our communities out as well as theirs.”