New statistics are prompting worries about the adequacy of ambulance personnel in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. This concern arises months after operational hours were reduced at the local emergency department. The northeastern BC town has been lacking evening and weekend emergency department services since September due to a scarcity of doctors.
Mayor Darryl Krakowka disclosed that residents were assured a second ambulance would be stationed to address the deficiency and transport patients over 100 kilometers to the nearest hospital in Dawson Creek as necessary. However, data from B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) indicates that both ambulances are not consistently manned.
Between September and December 2025, BCEHS reported that one ambulance’s shifts were filled approximately 92% of the time, while the second ambulance’s shifts were manned 83% of the time. Krakowka, a former paramedic with nearly a decade of experience in the community, expressed concern about the situation, emphasizing, “There are days when we are without an ambulance or the second ambulance is not fully staffed.”
He added, “If I held the position of minister of health, I would be closely monitoring this situation. Likewise, as the CEO of Northern Health, my attention would be unwavering.”
BCEHS stated that they recruited 10 full-time paramedics to operate the second ambulance following the reduction in emergency department hours. During the period between September 1, 2025, and January 7, 2026, emergency crews managed 194 calls for assistance and patient transfers in Tumbler Ridge. The majority, 158 incidents, were handled locally, while crews from neighboring communities addressed 36 cases.
In a statement, a BCEHS spokesperson commended the employees who stepped up to enhance ambulance coverage in Tumbler Ridge during this critical period. Additionally, ambulances stationed in Tumbler Ridge responded to 34 emergencies or patient transfers outside the immediate region, as per BCEHS records.
Despite the response protocol where the closest available ambulance is dispatched during emergencies, Krakowka highlighted residents’ apprehension that an ambulance may not be readily available when needed. He criticized the promised solution by Northern Health, stating, “Not only do we lack an ER during off-hours and weekends, but we also lack a full complement of two ambulances due to understaffing.”
Northern Health affirmed its ongoing efforts to recruit physicians and nurses to reinstate emergency department hours. According to a December 9 update, the health authority anticipates a new doctor’s arrival in Tumbler Ridge in the spring of 2027. They have also advertised for a nurse practitioner to work in the emergency department, a groundbreaking role for the community.
The health authority’s focus remains on expanding primary care services and potentially introducing walk-in emergency services operating 10 hours a day, seven days a week as physician recruitment stabilizes. Krakowka urged the health authority to explore alternative solutions, such as virtual care or short-term coverage by doctors from neighboring areas. He also emphasized the need for a commitment to retain the second ambulance in Tumbler Ridge once emergency hours are fully reinstated.
He remarked, “We previously had two ambulances stationed here. These paramedics are now part of our community and are like family to us.”
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