Emergency Response Times

[Cloud Cover]

I shed no tears for person who gambles their life and loses on a life or act of crime. Perhaps if the consequences were a little more severe less would make that choice.

I don't think gun ownership should be mandatory. But I think people should take a more active role in their own safety and security and I don't think they should fear the courts for that.

“Alexa! Activate the Roomba Claymore unit. Deploy to Front Entrance.”

 

[Brad Sallows]

Compare gun deaths between Canada and the US, and that appears to be a sound policy choice.

"Appears" is doing a lot of work for "dozens of causes that might be worth considering".

Who gets shot, and why they got shot, matters a great deal.

 

[mariomike]

Readers concerned with the effect of bike lanes and severe traffic congestion on 9-1-1 response times in Canada's largest city may, or may not, find this of interest.

9 Dec., 2024

 

[mariomike]

Saw this in Politics. Will reply in Emergency Services / Response Times.

Public services have to measure service delivery and efficiency differently. I want an ambulance crew sitting around watching TV when get the urge to stick a fork in my eye after watching a Leafs game.

The tones seemed to be set to go off just as they dropped the puck. < smile emoji

The funding formula in Ontario is 50% from Queen's Park - based on the census population, only.

Municipalities have to make up their minds to ante up, or play it cheap.

Efficiency and productivity is measured by Unit Hour Utilization . Higher the UHU, harder it is on the crews.

 

[lenaitch]

Saw this in Politics. Will reply in Emergency Services / Response Times.



The tones seemed to be set to go off just as they dropped the puck. < smile emoji

The funding formula in Ontario is 50% from Queen's Park - based on the census population, only.

Municipalities have to make up their minds to ante up, or play it cheap.

Efficiency and productivity is measured by Unit Hour Utilization . Higher the UHU, harder it is on the crews.

To be clear you are speaking of EMS services only.

 

[mariomike]

To be clear you are speaking of EMS services only.

Right.

Not familiar with Queen's Park funding formula for municipal police or fire , or municipal paramedics in other provinces.

Or, how they measure response times, departmental efficiency and productivity. Different service delivery models.

 

[mariomike]

11 June, 2025

To meet Response Times, City Hall and Queen's Park will have to ante up,

Toronto plans to hire hundreds of new paramedics as emergency calls rise
The new hiring plan is contingent on sharing costs with the province but Mayor Chow said she's 'confident' the money will come through

Toronto plans to hire hundreds of new paramedics as emergency calls rise

The new hiring plan is contingent on sharing costs with the province but Mayor Chow said she's 'confident' the money will come through

www.torontotoday.ca

"When seconds count..."

Since 2018, the average time between someone calling 911 and an ambulance arriving has increased from 12.1 minutes to nearly 15 minutes. Over the next four years, call volume is expected to grow by another 11 per cent to over 16 minutes.

 

[mariomike]

Saw this in "The Newsroom".

Will reply in Emergency Services.

Intra hospital transfers, usually done by Ambulance civi side.

Only familiar with one municipality.

But, in the City of Toronto, non-emergency inter-facility transportation is done by unregulated private transport companies.

The municipal paramedic service handles the 9-1-1 calls, and emergency runs to Level One trauma centres , Hospital for Sick Children, hyperbaric chamber etc.

 

[mariomike]

From "The Newsroom",

Will reply in Emergency Services,

Kevin wrote,

There are a bunch of us in the grey zone - retired pre pension, so over 10 years on the 20plan (and admittedly not sure if 10 is still the bottom rung to be considered ‘Retired’

What I was referring to is the department's lifetime social organization for members - after 25 years of service.

Retirement, on an unreduced pension, is when when age + service = 90.

It might be 85 Factor now. But, I'm on the 90 plan.

Kevin wrote,

Very few jobs (none of them) in the CAF are going to be good for everyone from 19-65)

I joined the CAF when I was 16.

But, it looks like you can join much later in life:

Canadian Forces ,

The maximum age is based on the age of 60 less the minimum years of service required for the career chosen.

 

[mariomike]

Saw this in "The Newsroom"

Will reply in Emergency Services.

As mentioned, some folks found out that the odds of actually needing sick leave increases with age and all of a sudden they got sick and didn't have the bank to cover it.

18 days a year are deposited into your Sick Bank over a 35 year career. That's 630 days.

If one maintains 120 days in their Sick Bank, that will cover the six months until Long-Term Disability ( LTD ) begins for non-occupational illness or injury.

The Sick Bank will also top up your LTD to 100%.

Of those 630 days, your nine month retirement gratuity will require 180 days.

That leaves 450 sick day credits at one's disposal.

After I retired,

On the controversial issue of banked sick-leave, ( Toronto Mayor ) Miller said the city negotiated an end to any future employees being able to save up unused sick days, but current employees will have the option of keeping the time they've accrued or taking a payout.

It was not voluntary.

Toronto Police and Fire still receive Sick Bank Gratuity, and I can't see either of them ever giving it up voluntarily either.

 

[mariomike]

Saw this in The Newsroom about the cost of hiring EVTS / Mechanics / Vehicle Technicians,

good luck getting guys to work their trade for so little.

Will reply in Emergency Services.

Likewise, municipal Paid Duty , an ambulance with two paramedics , is $134.50 per hour.

Four hour minimum.

 

[Dana381]

Saw this in The Newsroom about the cost of hiring EVTS / Mechanics / Vehicle Technicians,



Will reply in Emergency Services.

Likewise, municipal Paid Duty , an ambulance with two paramedics , is $134.50 per hour.

Four hour minimum

Considering the expensive equipment on an ambulance $134.50 seems low for an ambulance and two paramedics. Although with the four hour minimum an Ambulance could do multiple calls in a shift and have billables in the 20 - 30 hour range for an 8 hour shift. If an ambulance responds to 6 calls in an shift averaging 1 hour each then they would have 24 billable hours.

That is if I am reading that right.

 

[mariomike]

Considering the expensive equipment on an ambulance $134.50 seems low for an ambulance and two paramedics. Although with the four hour minimum an Ambulance could do multiple calls in a shift and have billables in the 20 - 30 hour range for an 8 hour shift. If an ambulance responds to 6 calls in an shift averaging 1 hour each then they would have 24 billable hours.

That is if I am reading that right.

Municipalities measure High Performance ( efficiency, cost effectiveness, resource allocation, and budget ) by Unit Hour Utilization ( UHU ).

(UHU) is calculated by dividing the number of transports by the number of “unit hours,” with one unit hour defined as a fully equipped and staffed ambulance.

IE: 10 ambulances around the clock = 240 unit hours in a 24-hour period.

If those 10 ambulances do 120 transports in 24 hours = 5 UHU.

Factors that influence UHU would be Response Time standards, Call Volume, deployment strategies and shift schedules.

 

[lenaitch]

Considering the expensive equipment on an ambulance $134.50 seems low for an ambulance and two paramedics. Although with the four hour minimum an Ambulance could do multiple calls in a shift and have billables in the 20 - 30 hour range for an 8 hour shift. If an ambulance responds to 6 calls in an shift averaging 1 hour each then they would have 24 billable hours.

That is if I am reading that right.

Ya, that is a bargain. Toronto PS charges $94.50 per member plus about $34.00 for the vehicle; all per hour, minimum 3 hours.

Keep in mind that 'paid duty' is non-publicly funded service; i.e. a concert or some other for-profit venue like a Jays game. They could do absolutely nothing for those hours.

 

[mariomike]

Toronto gives a quote - only after - you,

Fill out this form to request medical coverage at your event from Toronto Paramedic Services.

Paramedic Services Event Quote

Fill out this form to request medical coverage at your event from Toronto Paramedic Services.

www.toronto.ca

Our collective agreement simply says,

Paid Duty
45.12 Paramedics who perform “Paid Duty” work shall be compensated in accordance with the Collective Agreement for all such work performed.

That would be four hours minimum, at time and a half.

Likewise, municipal Paid Duty , an ambulance with two paramedics , is $134.50 per hour.

Four hour minimum.

That was for City of Guelph

Special event medical coverage

Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service will provide Special Event Medical Coverage which includes an ambulance and 2 paramedics dedicated to the event site.

guelph.ca

County of Frontenac 2018 rate,

Attendance of one ambulance and two paramedics at special events:

Basic charge

$800 for four hours coverage (minimum charge).

Additional charges

$220 for each hour or portion thereof.

 

[mariomike]

Saw this in Canada Post,

Generally managers don’t count under unions but I am not sure on their specifics.

The department I was a member of never had a layoff.

To maintain Response Times, they terminated managers, so they could hire more paramedics, because of the ever increasing Call Volume.

Managers, being non-union, had no Seniority or Recall rights. ie: They were fired, not laid off.

It wasn't personal. Just business.