Tag Archives: Quadra Island Fire Department

Politics, Poverty

First meeting of the new SRD Board

The new Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board was sworn in on Wednesday, November 9. 

“10 of the 14 Directors on the Strathcona Regional District Board are new. There’s been a huge changeover.  You do have some folks with experience in there, but it’s a new place to work. My initial experiences  with folks is that people  are approaching this job with a really open mind, a willingness to work together, cooperative attitudes and it’s really great,” explained Mark Vonesch, the new Regional Director for Cortes Island. 

Continue reading First meeting of the new SRD Board →
Health

‘It’s a broken system that needs fixing,’ say emergency responders about B.C.’s rural paramedic shortages

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On 11 days this summer and early fall, Quadra Island had no local paramedics available for emergency medical calls, data from the emergency responders’ union shows.

The ferry-dependent community of 2,700 residents has acute staff shortages, as do many rural communities in B.C. On Quadra, three of four permanent part-time paramedic positions are vacant, Cindy Leong, a spokesperson for BC Emergency Health Services, wrote in an email.

Continue reading ‘It’s a broken system that needs fixing,’ say emergency responders about B.C.’s rural paramedic shortages →
Health

The paramedic situation on Cortes and Quadra Islands

There have been numerous reports of BC ambulances being understaffed recently. According to Prince Rupert Northern View, the Bella Coola ambulance was only in service for 52% of July. Quadra Island volunteer firefighter Marc Doll recently informed Cortes Currents there are times when no paramedics are available on Quadra and ‘any firefighter that currently has a class four license is basically being put on standby because they no longer have the ability to have two people scheduled to keep the ambulance going.’ After receiving a couple of anonymous tips on Cortes Island, Cortes Currents asked BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) for an update on the local situation. 

Continue reading The paramedic situation on Cortes and Quadra Islands →
Disaster

Marc Doll speaks out on critical paramedic shortfalls; the doctor shortage & wildfire services in North Island 

There are not enough family doctors and the shortage of paramedics has reached crisis levels. Some people would like to see better fire services in North Island. In the third of a series about the issues he will be facing if elected Regional Director on October 15, Marc Doll spoke about emergency services on Quadra Island.

Continue reading Marc Doll speaks out on critical paramedic shortfalls; the doctor shortage & wildfire services in North Island  →
Politics

Marc Doll explains what ‘empowering community’ would mean in Area C

Marc Doll was a high school social studies teacher, a community specialist realtor and the president of a community association back in Calgary. Doll, his wife Jen and two daughters left that life behind in 2016. Now he is a regenerative farmer and volunteer firefighter on Quadra Island. He hopes to be elected Regional Director for Area C on Saturday, October 15, 2022.  The tagline on his websites is ‘empower community’ and in the first of a series of articles exploring his positions, Cortes Currents asked what this means.  

Continue reading Marc Doll explains what ‘empowering community’ would mean in Area C →