Tumbler Ridge Faces Emergency Coverage Concerns
The mayor of Tumbler Ridge is sounding the alarm about ambulance staffing levels in the northeastern British Columbia community, saying gaps in coverage have left residents at risk since local emergency department hours were reduced last year.
Ambulance Shifts Not Fully Staffed: Data Shows
New figures from BC Emergency Health Services show that although the community now has two ambulances stationed locally, they are not always both fully staffed. Between September and December 2025, one ambulance was staffed about 92 per cent of the time, while the second was staffed about 83 per cent of the time, meaning there are days when only one vehicle — or none — is ready to respond.
Mayor Darryl Krakowka, a retired paramedic, said this shortfall is especially worrying given that the town’s emergency department no longer operates evenings and weekends due to a physician shortage. Previously, two ambulances and around-the-clock ER service were available, but those supports have been scaled back.
Officials Had Promised Second Ambulance Coverage
Krakowka said residents were told the addition of a second ambulance would make up for the loss of hospital hours by transporting patients more than 100 kilometres away to Dawson Creek when needed. But with shifts going unfilled, he says that promise has not been fulfilled, raising fears among families and emergency responders alike.
Health Service Responds on Recruitment Efforts
BCEHS says it has hired 10 full-time paramedics to staff the additional ambulance and that crews based in Tumbler Ridge have handled nearly 200 emergency calls and patient transfers since September. Some of the transfers have required support from crews in neighbouring communities when local units were unavailable.
Calls for Expanded Services and Staffing Solutions
Northern Health continues efforts to recruit doctors and nurses in hopes of restoring expanded ER hours, including a physician expected to arrive in spring 2027, and has posted positions for family doctors and a nurse practitioner. Meanwhile, the mayor wants the health authority to explore interim supports such as virtual care, temporary staffing from nearby communities, and a guaranteed commitment that both ambulances will remain in Tumbler Ridge once emergency department hours return.
Community Worries Persist
Residents and local officials say the combination of reduced hospital access and inconsistent ambulance staffing has heightened anxiety about emergency response times, particularly given the distances to full-service hospitals in the region.
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