Anger over BCEHS' handling of heat wave grows as petition circulates online
A petition calling for the firing of a member of B.C. Emergency Health Service’s senior leadership has collected thousands of signatures.
As of Monday evening, more than 6,400 people had signed the petition, which is addressed the B.C. Ministry of Health. The anonymous petitioner, who claims to be an ambulance paramedic, is demanding Darlene MacKinnon be ousted from her position as the BCEHS’ Chief Operating Officer.
“It is indicative of how desperate and frustrated our members are,” says Troy Clifford, president of CUPE 873, the union representing B.C. ambulance dispatchers and paramedics.
The BCEHS has been criticized for its handling of the unprecedented heat wave that hit B.C. in late June. The service did not activate its internal state of emergency (which comes in the form of activating an emergency operations centre) until after the peak of the extreme heat. In addition, ambulance wait times were reported to be hours-long in some cases, which is believed to be a contributing factor to a spike in sudden deaths across the province.
Clifford says the thousands of signatures the petition has garnered is reflective of a growing distrust of ambulance service in the province, and not just amongst the public.
“Our public safety partners – police and fire – and others are questioning us. Our healthcare partners are questioning the organization’s ability to be accountable and respond.”
Darlene MacKinnon was not available for an interview with CTV News, but the BCEHS confirms it has seen the petition online.
“We are aware of it and are disappointed at the personal attack it represents,” says Lesley Pritchard, spokesperson for the BCEHS. “The petition is aimed at one of our employees, an individual who has served for close to 30 years as a nurse, operations leader and dedicated public servant.”
In an emailed statement, Pritchard goes on to say the heat wave in combination with the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing overdose crisis was mentally and physically exhausting for everyone working at the service and made providing adequate service challenging.
“We will be conducting a review of recent events and learning from this experience and anticipate continuing to work with our union partner CUPE 873, on opportunities to further improve service for those who need us most.”
However, Clifford tells CTV News that the union’s recent talks with BCEHS management have been unproductive thus far. But, over the weekend, he spoke directly with B.C.’s Health Minister and the Provincial Health Services Authority.
“We met with Minister Dix and I raised my concerns,” says Clifford. “They’re working very closely with us to address our concerns, our members’ concerns, and more importantly the impact on patient care and the public.”
Clifford acknowledges ongoing staffing issues will not be solved overnight, but he feels there are procedural changes to be made that would improve the service’s response to crises. In addition, Clifford says there needs to be improved access to mental health support services for first responders, who struggled under the added stress of heat-wave-related emergency calls.
“We had some significant challenges with health and psychological injuries and access to our critical incident stress program, particularly for our dispatchers, but also our paramedics on the street.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6778341.1708561001!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'I got no remorse': Greg Fertuck, convicted of murdering missing spouse, sentenced to life in prison
Greg Fertuck will spend life behind bars with no chance of parole until he is 90 years old, a judge ruled on Thursday at Saskatoon's Court of King's Bench.
'Ford's dry summer begins': LCBO workers set to strike Friday after talks fall apart
Thousands of employees with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario are set to walk off their jobs on Friday as the union says 'talks have broken down' and it is not hopeful that a deal will be reached to avert a strike.
Britain's Labour on track for landslide victory, exit poll suggests, amid anger with Conservatives
Britain's Labour Party headed for a landslide victory Friday in a parliamentary election, an exit poll suggested, as voters punished the governing Conservatives after 14 years of economic and political upheaval.
Saskatchewan has the lowest hourly minimum wage. How does it stack up to the rest of Canada?
Hourly minimum wages increased in several Canadian provinces this spring with more on the horizon, which economists say will likely impact workers and businesses differently.
Trying to sell or buy a home this summer? What a realtor says you should know
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
No Frills grocery stores drop 'multi-buy' offer
As receipts tick ever higher for Canadians at the grocery store and shoppers continue to search for savings, one Canadian grocer has ended a perceived deal.
Hurricane Beryl churns toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean
After leaving a trail of destruction across the eastern Caribbean and at least nine people dead, Hurricane Beryl weakened as it chugged over open water toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, going from the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic to Category 2 by the afternoon.
CSIS director David Vigneault stepping down after seven years on the job
David Vigneault says he is stepping down from his job at the head of Canada’s spy agency. The director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, who spent seven years at the helm, is leaving the public service altogether.
Biden tells Democratic governors he needs more sleep and plans to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m.
U.S. President Joe Biden told Democratic governors during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday that part of his plan going forward is to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. so that he can get more sleep, according to three sources briefed on his comments.