Wolfe Islanders fuming after recent ferry staffing shortages
Global News
Wolfe Island residents are demanding answers after the second ferry shutdown in a week.
Wolfe Island residents are demanding answers after the second ferry shutdown in a week.
The Wolfe Islander 3 had to be pulled out of service Sunday night because of a staff shortage.
Complicating the issue was a medical emergency on the island overnight and then mechanical issues delaying the ferry service resumption Monday morning.
“This is holding a hostage of 1,400 community members,” Frontenac Islands, Ont., Mayor Judy Greenwood Speers said.
Greenwood Speers is upset after a patient having a medical emergency was made to wait for help because the Wolfe Island ferry couldn’t run due to the staffing shortage.
The coast guard had to be called in.
“Left the island an hour and five minutes after the call came in,” Greenwood Speers said. “If that’s a heart attack patient that’s a fatality, usually.”
The Wolfe Island Ferry was offline Sunday evening from about 8 p.m., according to the Ministry of Transportation, because there weren’t enough workers to run it. It’s the second time in the span of a week.