Skip to content

December storm led to challenging times for GW Paramedic Service

In one instance, an ambulance stuck in a snow drift was hit head-on by a transport truck, resulting in minor injuries
20201002 guelph wellington paramedics AD
GuelphToday file photo

WELLINGTON COUNTY — The storm that hit the area just before Christmas created some trying moments fo the area's ambulance service, including a head-on collision between an ambulance and a transport truck.

A report to the County of Wellington social services committee detailed the trying times Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service dealt with during the weather event.

As the storm necessitated road closures and created impossible conditions the GWPS continued to attend to those in distress, supported by firefighters and county staff.

The storm began on Dec. 23 with rain, then the freezing came. It began to snow with strong winds. For those trying to get around, it was slippery with poor visibility.

By the evening of Dec. 23, conditions were so poor, there were paramedics who couldn’t go home and others who couldn't make it to work. "In many cases and as circumstances allowed they continued to respond to emergency calls from their locations," wrote Stephen Dewar, chief of Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service.

Some paramedics went to Guelph paramedic stations as they were closer than county stations.

Calls were coming in for people slipping and falling, car crashes and injuries related to shovelling.

By the morning of Dec. 24 three paramedics had gone off the road while trying to get to work and one left the road while trying to go home.

There was a crash in Drayton with five injured people. Guelph-Wellington paramedics got stuck on the way there. Paramedics from Waterloo and Perth also tried and failed to reach the five. Drayton firefighters picked up the five people from the crash and transported them to Guelph-Wellington paramedics.

"As this was occurring, one of our ambulances that was stuck in a snow drift in Mapleton was struck head-on by a transport truck," wrote Dewar. The two paramedics involved sustained minor injuries.

As the day of Dec. 24 continued, the conditions became worse. Many roads were closed and paramedics had to drive on those roads to reach stranded people in crisis. In that process, paramedics would get stuck in the snow.

Tow trucks could no longer offer support as needed, the conditions were too poor.

However paramedics continued to respond to emergencies.

By 7 p.m. on Dec. 24, almost all of the roads within Wellington County were closed and visibility was nearly impossible. A few snowplows would clear the way for ambulances to respond to calls.

As it was too difficult to get home, paramedics slept at the station for a second night.

On Christmas day and Boxing Day the conditions improved, the winds slowed down and the snow let up. Nonetheless the roads were closed and getting to those trapped on them was challenging. But paramedics continued to struggle to reach those in distress.

The ability of paramedics to provide care to those having emergencies required the support of volunteer firefighters who accessed patients, snowplow drivers who helped paramedics reach patients and other residents like farmers helping with their equipment to get paramedics to their neighbours and others who used their shovels and snowblowers to help paramedics reach those in crisis.

"Our paramedics have expressed their appreciation to the residents of Wellington County, not only for their help in reaching patients but in their support of our teams between calls as well," wrote Dewar.

Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.