Fewers pulling ambulance out of Cape Broyle by summer, future coverage still undecided

After weeks of demanding answers from the provincial government about spotty ambulance coverage, the residents of the Cape Broyle area finally have some news. 

Health Minister Tom Osborne said Tuesday the company operating Ferryland Emergency Service in Cape Broyle is pulling out of the region altogether, and gave a six-month notice to the provincial government 2½ months ago.

The impending pullout comes after elected officials and residents raised concerns about the apparent lack of staffing at the ambulance depot in Cape Broyle, which serves the region from LaManche to Cappahayden.

"Eastern Health monitors the service there, as does government," Osborne said. "We continue to ensure service is available to the area. Could the service be improved in the future? I believe it can."

Residents say the ambulance has been unavailable more often than not since Boxing Day. Requests for an interview with Fewers Ambulance Service — the parent company of Ferryland Emergency Service — were not granted, but owner Bob Fewer said a statement may be released Tuesday.

The lack of information has been frustrating, residents say.

"We're basically kept in the dark as to what our current situation is on the shore," said Cape Broyle resident and town councillor Andrea O'Brien. "There's been several serious incidents over those past two months that ambulances had to be dispatched from St. John's, and it was an hour and a half until they got to the Cape Broyle, Calvert, Ferryland area."

Ferryland district MHA Loyola O'Driscoll said he looked into the problems after several residents complained to him, and found the ambulance depot was unmanned Dec. 26 to Jan. 7, with more disruptions happening on and off ever since.

O'Driscoll said he's heard three complaints in which ambulances travelled 60 kilometres from Holyrood to Cape Broyle, while the Ferryland ambulance sat unstaffed at the depot.

"Something has to be done with it. Something has to be done to iron this out," O'Driscoll said. "If they're not going to be there, then they should put out a public service announcement to say that."

Osborne said he isn't sure if it's possible to put out PSAs when the town is without ambulance service, since it can happen several times a day. He said, however, residents should known the closest available ambulance will always be called in to help when a person calls 911.

"We have pretty good communication with Fewers Ambulance. They advise us when they are unable to staff the site. So we rely on our mutual aid program."

Osborne said when they're aware Fewers can't staff Ferryland Emergency Service, they defer based on where the calls are coming from.

O'Brien and O'Driscoll questioned whether Fewers is within the terms of its contract with the provincial government and the health authority, since the contract is supposed to set out a standard for service. Osborne said it has not been a concern.