Northern College receives decommissioned ambulance for paramedic program

Northern College in Timmins received a donation of an ambulance and power cot for its paramedic training program.

A decommissioned ambulance and power cot, which still have some life left in them, will be used as teaching tools in Northern College’s paramedic program.

“The life span of an ambulance is not long. I mean, we amortize these over seven years, tops,” said Brian Marks, chief administrative officer for Cochrane District Services Board.

With this week’s donation, the program now has a fleet of two decommissioned ambulances.

“It’s a really one-of-a-kind facility in Canada that is really a training opportunity for all students, not just our northern students, but any students from southern Ontario that really want to come up and experience top class emergency services training,” said Sarah Campbell, the dean of health sciences and emergency services at the college.

“This is where it’s at.”

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Marks said the donation is an investment in the future of paramedic services in the Cochrane District.

“Our commander, with responsibility for recruiting, actually has an office in this building, (the Northern College Timmins campus),” said Marks.

“So … being in such close proximity to the students and … even changing the way we do things and being open to making employment offers before graduation and paying for placements, it really helps to, to make sure that we are first, when it comes to their considerations upon graduation.”

One hundred paramedics work in the Cochrane District and seven graduates from the Northern College paramedic program were hired last year.

“With the ‘Learn and Stay’ grant, that’s been a huge opportunity for students to take the program and have their tuition covered as long as they stay in the north and work in the north,” said Campbell.

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Providing these important educational tools means future employees will be able to “hit the ground running,” Marks said.

“Because when you call 911, you want someone who’s ready to help.”