By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THREE of the four ambulances on Grand Bahama are out of service, resulting in a critical shortage of transport cover over the weekend. 

There is only one operating ambulance servicing the entire island, according to Rand Memorial Hospital Administrator Sharon Williams. According to an EMS worker, who wished to remain anonymous, the one ambulance that is currently in use is unfit, and rocks and shakes from side to side because of a rear shock/suspension problem.

“We have been operating the whole island this weekend with a faulty ambulance, and also a Hyundai SUV,” the worker said.

Three of the ambulances have mechanical issues – one has an air/hydraulic shock problem, and the other two units have transmission issues.

Ms Williams said “half of the fleet should to be back up” and running today.

“Due to extensive use and age we are having problems with our EMS vehicles,” she told The Tribune. “There are mechanical challenges and this weekend we would have had a few down times with our vehicles, which we are attempting to rectify because we are cognisant that it is critical that we have sufficient ambulances operational to be able to service the public.

“We are doing our best to keep the vehicles on the road until the new fleet that has been ordered by the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) arrives. Right now, we have one ambulance totally operational, but we should have three back up in service by tomorrow.”

When asked whether EMS personnel were using a Hyundai SUV for emergency calls, Ms Williams said “that is the normal process that was beefed up in this instance”.  

She said: “When we respond to very critical emergency, the (EMS) supervisor will go out in a response vehicle, it is a PHA vehicle – it does not have any markings on it right now because it is a new vehicle.”  

The hospital administrator said EMS would not be using it to transport patients, only in response to calls and to stabilise (the patient) had there been an emergency.

The Administrator admits that wait time is a challenge. “But there have been no critical issues that we would not be able to respond, the challenge will be wait time.

“Our EMS personnel are trained to critically screen cases and make sure they respond to the most urgent cases when we have these problems.”

Ms Williams said the PHA has put in for an additional fleet for Grand Bahama and New Providence. The vehicles are made to specification and they are waiting on the manufacturers to finish assembling them.

She said that EMS staff is aware that new vehicles are on the way.