Overview  

Lanark County Ambulance Service under the leadership of the Almonte General Hospital has been named by the Lanark County council  to operate and manage the Land Ambulance Services for the County of   Lanark effective September 1st,  2000.

In 1997, the provincial government passed legislation that required all upper tier municipalities to become responsible for funding the costs associated with the provision of land ambulance services within their areas beginning January 1, 1998. The legislation further directed that, as of January 1, 2000 all upper tier municipalities were to become responsible for contracting or directly delivering land ambulance services in their areas.

On March 23, 1999 the provincial government announced that it would fund half of the Ministry of Health approved costs for land ambulance services and extended the deadline for the final transfer of responsibility to the County from January 1, 2000 to January 1, 2001.

Lanark County residents were previously served by four land ambulance operators:

• The Almonte General Hospital managed and operated the Almonte & District Ambulance Service;
• Jim McIsaac operated the private ambulance service in Carleton Place;
• The Perth & Smiths Falls Hospital operated the ambulance service in Perth; and;
• The Ministry of Health operated the ambulance service in Smiths falls.

After receipt of proposals the Almonte General Hospital was named as the service provider on November 17, 2000 to become responsible for the ongoing management and operation of these services on a non-profit basis. This contract was renewed by the County of Lanark in 2006.

These services have undergone visual and logo transition. The new "Lanark County Ambulance Service" under the auspices of the Almonte General Hospital will define its own unique identity in the months to come. Mr. Jim McIsaac was hired to manage this service. Jim has been been in the EMS field since 1974, progressing from ambulance officer to Supervisor, Manager and then Operator of Carleton Place/Richmond Ambulance Service. Jim was also Director of Operations for Eastern Medical Services, in Osgoode. Jim has served and continues to serve on many EMS and community committees and boards and is a Director of the Board of the OAOA.

Paramedics, along with supervisory personnel, are the most visible staff on the streets and it is seen that existing staff are a valuable resource which will be utilized in this new service. The nature of the service will demand team work from more than 80 staff. In many instances, the initial emergency care rendered by the paramedics will be the deciding factor between life and death, temporary or permanent disability, a brief confinement or prolonged hospitalization for a patient. In a critical situation, unexpected and shocking events for which most people are totally unprepared require paramedics to demonstrate competent leadership ability, well-developed human relations skills and empathy.

Service highlights:

• sole provider of emergency and non-emergency ambulance service in Lanark County, population 59,845, area 3,064 km2
• provides basic life support for the critically ill and injured and
  ensures public access to help in times of emergency
• promotes public education in the appropriate use of emergency medical resources
• will maintain cooperative working agreements with Lanark County Police and Fire departments
• engages in routine planning to cope with disasters and extraordinary events

Existing Facilities

• 4 stations
• 9 ambulances + 1 ERV
• 2 Adminstration Vehicles

Proposed Personnel

• 40 total full-time staff
• 35 part-time staff

This site last updated 24 January, 2007