New Martensville ambulance base will cut down paramedic response times

Medavie Health Services (MHS) West opened its first ambulance base in Martensville on Thursday in an initiative that will make response times for paramedics quicker, according to the organization’s director of public affairs.

Troy Davies, director of public affairs with Medavie Health Services West. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

The base is the first one built outside of Saskatoon, Troy Davies said, adding it will serve Martensville, Warman and the nearby communities to cut down paramedic response times.

Because of the rapid growth in both cities, Davies said he could see Warman getting its own station 10 years from now. He said MHS West will take its lead from the Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority on future ambulance bases.

Davies said what MHS West has done in the past — and will continue to do — is partner with the fire department, which is equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) as first responders. There will typically be two paramedics and one ambulance on the base, Davies added.

Although the ribbon was cut Thursday, paramedics from the base have already received calls — and one in particular stood out.

Jarren Cusson (left) receives Chief’s Life Saving Award from MHS West Chief Gerry Schriemer. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

In the early hours of Jan. 14, paramedics received a call to a home in Martensville, where resident Steven Cusson went into cardiac arrest.

Jarren Cusson, Steven’s son, immediately started performing CPR in an effort to save his dad’s life. When medics arrived, Steven was defibrillated and started to breathe again, MHS West said in a statement.

“For us to be here, that was a difference of a four-minute response time we had in Martensville, which could’ve been 12 to 15 minutes coming from Saskatoon,” Davies said, “This is one of these calls where everything worked out the way it did and saved a life.”

Jarren’s efforts earned him the Chiefs Life Saving Award, which was presented by MHS West Chief Gerry Schriemer on Thursday.

Leah Cusson, Jarren’s mother, said she is proud of her son’s efforts and is grateful for the paramedics who responded to the call.

“There is not enough thank yous in this world to appreciate what you have done for our family,” she said.