A Cochrane resident asked a councilor for help after having a difficult experience during a medical emergency. Councilor Daniel Brunet read out his letter to the city lamenting the lack of resources from local emergency services.

In her letter, Nicole Charron Boucher writes that her husband passed out at Transfiguration Church on July 9 and appeared to have a heart attack.

Luckily, there were nurses there, including a retired one, who rushed to his aid.

Ms. Boucher says she called the city’s emergency services, but they told her the only ambulances available were the ones coming from Smooth rock falls orIroquois Fallswhich required a drive of around 40 to 50 minutes.

The resident also states that she tried in vain to contact the city’s taxi service.

To obtain the necessary care for her husband, Mrs. Boucher, the two nurses and the priest would have walked to the hospital, almost a kilometer from the church, and pushed the weakened man onto a wheelchair, which they carried in the church had found.

A lack of resources dangerous for everyone

According to Councilman Daniel Brunet, several essential services for the community are lacking resources. This situation worried the city council, which convened discussion groups to resolve the issue.

It is an eye opener and we need to find solutions by working hand in hand with the surrounding communities.says Mr. Brunet.

We are lacking several key resources that are important to our community, and that is very dangerous for everyone.

The council is hoping to attract paramedics and other health workers to the Cochrane district to help ease staffing shortages in the community.

For its part, the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board (CASSDC) said in a statement issued to Radio-Canada that it is investigating the situation and working with its health sector partners and health care providers to urgently resolve this issue.

With information from Chris St-Pierre