COVID outbreak reported within Sault EMS

Sault Ste. Marie Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ranks are experiencing an emergency of their own, but are adapting well.

“We have had an outbreak (of COVID-19) declared last week within paramedic services,” said Jeff Bowen, Sault EMS deputy chief of operations.

A COVID-19 ‘outbreak’ within any environment is usually declared when two or more positive cases are discovered.

“We do have a handful of people who are either off with a positive test result or are in isolation due to close contact with someone else,” Bowen said, though an exact number of affected Sault EMS personnel was not readily available. 

“At this point we’re still able to fulfill our regular deployment plan. We haven’t had to reduce any ambulances or any numbers. We have had some overtime shifts. Luckily we do have a part-time staff which is able to come in and fill most of those vacancies.”

“We really can’t (cut services, due to the very nature of EMS). We’re stretched to the limit as is. We do have an additional 24-hour ambulance that has just ramped up starting this past Sunday and that’s a welcome addition to the fleet. We've been able to staff all those shifts accordingly,” Bowen said.

As for COVID-19 striking Sault Ste. Marie Police Service officers or civilian employees, Lincoln Louttit, Sault Police spokesperson, told SooToday Tuesday “we feel fortunate, at this time COVID has not negatively affected operations of the Service.”

As reported Monday, COVID has hit Sault Area Hospital (SAH) with over 60 COVID positive cases among its staff, including two within SAH’s emergency department.