Old ambulance in Timmins to help the city's vulnerable citizens

Old ambulance in Timmins put to good use Officials in Timmins have plans for a decommissioned ambulance: community paramedics will use it to help the city’s vulnerable citizens.

Cochrane District Services Board in Timmins has come up with a plan for a former ambulance.

Officials said it is still roadworthy and it will be used to help the city’s most vulnerable citizens.

"(It will) provide wound care, things like point-of-care testing, get them into a bit of a warm environment for a little while," said Seamus Murphy, deputy chief of standards and community services for Cochrane District Paramedic Service, a division of Cochrane District Services Board.

Murphy said the board also has contracts with three long-term care facilities in Timmins and two in Kapuskasing.

"We'll do blood work … urinalysis, things like that so this will not only save the taxpayer money, but it will also avoid the 911 and the emergency department visits,” said Murphy.

People can request service by calling the community paramedic line, but the unit will not transport people to the hospital.

Murphy said the expanded service will begin within the next month or so.