The Thunder Bay Police Service on Monday donated a pair of decommissioned rugged tablets to the Fort William First Nation’s First Response Team.
The donation will help the First Response Team operate with increased efficiency, providing the First Response Team with electronic mapping and electronic patient-care records.
“The biggest use will be the electronic patient-care records,” said Mason Morriseau, FWFN First Response team Co-ordinator. “Once we get an ambulance and first-response vehicle we can use, we’ll be able to use (the tablets) to store our data and have some better organization instead of loose papers.”
Some emergency service vehicles are unable to travel into Fort William First Nation via the James Street Swing Bridge, and instead must use an access point along Highway 61. This results in longer wait times for people in need of emergency first responders.
The First Response Team, similar to a volunteer fire department, allows for quicker emergency medical response times despite the geographical obstacle paramedics face when dispatched to Fort William First Nation.
“If someone calls 911, we respond alongside Superior North EMS in the hopes that we will arrive beforehand to provide some of the initial care,” said Mason Morriseau, FWFN First Response team Co-ordinator.
On Monday, Aug. 23, TBPS Deputy Chief Ryan Hughes met with Morriseau at the Fort William First Nation band office to formally provide him the donated devices.
“The Thunder Bay Police Service applauds the efforts of the First Response Team and we are happy to have this opportunity to provide this donation,” said TBPS Deputy Chief Ryan Hughes. “We hope these will assist the team in providing the people of Fort William First Nation with timely and quality care.”
The response team continues to seek volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or learning more about the project, visit online at https://fwfnfirstresponse.com/