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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, July 12, 2013 | 6 A matter of life and death As with many aspects of life in Oakville and Halton, growth in the region and the resulting increase in population is having an impact on important services we may sometimes take for granted. Paramedics are one of the vital services that can literally mean the difference between life and death when there's a medical emergency at home, work or on the road. Despite the fact that Halton paramedics continue to experience delays in admitting patients at hospitals because of bed shortages, more emergency calls were answered and more patients transported to hospital last year than the year before. According to a paramedic response report presented to Halton Region's health and social services committee meeting last week (see story on p.5), paramedics responded to 36,000 calls and transported 24,000 patients to area hospitals in 2012 -- that represents increases of seven per cent and ve per cent, respectively. Even with the increase in calls and patients, paramedic response times in Halton remain within an acceptable range under the Ambulance Act, according to the report. To help ensure paramedic response is keeping pace with the region's growing demand, the construction of a new Oakville station is underway at Bronte and Pine Glen, while another station in east Milton is expected to open within two to three years. Two other new stations are also on the horizon in Milton and in southwest Oakville. Also revealed at last week's health and social services committee meeting is that a so-called 50/50 shared funding model between the Province of Ontario and Halton Region for paramedic services is actually closer to 44/56, with Halton footing the larger portion of the bill. We support the Region's refusal to "shortchange" Halton residents where vital emergency medical services are concerned. Hiring new paramedics to staff two new ambulances 12 hours a day, seven days a week will maintain paramedic response time standards in Halton and will likely lead to more lives being saved. The issue may be couched in phrases like ofoading and patient loads, but the reality in medical emergencies is the paramedics, their skills, knowledge and expertise, not to mention `bedside' manner and the ambulance itself, are often all that stand between someone having a ghting chance at life and facing certain death. There isn't any one of us who, in such a moment, would quibble about costs, budgets, bottom lines, of oading or otherwise -- or who would expect anything less than the best assistance possible -- if ours or a loved's one's future or very life hung in the balance. It may be budgets and bottom lines in the board room, but it's life and death on the streets. Editorial C L E A N S W E E P "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 83 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production Alaa Ihab, 16, and Samara Heisz, 16, pick up garbage during Marine Environmental Restoration Alliance's Cleanup for a Cause at Coronation Park Saturday. The youth-led group promotes marine environmental awareness in the community. More than 60 people took part in the clean-up effort. | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution It is a blessing to read you have launched a new column for the paper about the importance of families eating together (July 5, 2013). I was encouraged by the contribution of HealthyFam and the Hanna family in Ian Holroyd's article. When we consider some of the ills in our society, the business and breakdown in some families, it adds strength to much of what we were made for as a society having Family time is more than welcomed Letters to the Editor CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager families sit together for a meal and talk, laugh and share life. As one who works with families, I know this initiative will bring support and healing for families on many levels -- not merely health, but soul-care as well. I look forward to further articles and anticipate great things as Oakville families are called back to eating healthier meals together more frequently. David Berkeley, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association A different experience with ailing ash trees Re: Ailing ash creating nancial burden, Oakville Beaver, July 5, 2013. This concerns the letter from W.H. Joe Watson concerning the ash trees. I had a different problem. I became aware of the emerald ash borer a few years ago and I paid $460 in 2010 and again in 2012 to treat the problem for an ash tree that is on town property by my house. The Town had decided this tree did not qualify for its treatment plan because it has a doubletrunk. It encouraged me to pay for the treatment myself if I wanted to save the tree. This year an employee of the Town came along and painted an orange `X' on the tree and left a card in my mailbox advising the tree would be cut down. After a few calls and an in-person conference with a Town arbourist and the company that treats the tree, a decision was made to leave it for two weeks to see if it "improved." They felt the tree looked sick because it didn't have very many leaves. I knew that it was a very late bloomer, and was con dent it would be ne. No one has been back to replace the orange `X' so I am hoping the decision was favourable. I have found the Town employees to be reasonable and helpful. B. Robinson, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. 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