One of the most significant indicators of the critical global warming issue is the heightened unpredictability of weather patterns. Meteorologists world wide are increasingly challenged by storm systems that seemingly come out of nowhere with never before seen ferocity. The Ottawa Valley is no exception and Michael Nolan, Chief Paramedic with the County of Renfrew Paramedic Services and Lead of The Sierra Team is busier than he has ever been as a result of these changes.
Recent news stories about a 13 year old boy and his mother requiring emergency rescue in Algonquin Park have yet again brought the unpredictability of local weather to light. Nolan says that while the latest storm was known to be coming, the wide spread area and overall impact came as a shock to even him and his seasoned crew:
A major aspect of the problem is that while these storms are less and less predictable, it makes it much more difficult for outdoor enthusiasts to properly plan ahead for potential weather hazards. To further complicate matters, cellular service is practically non existent in a park the size of Algonquin:
According to Nolan and other sources, the initial SOS call came out from the boys mother using a satellite communication device. The call was received initially by the satellite company who were then able to forward exact co-ordinates of their location to OPP. Paramedics and the Sierra Team were then mobilized as the final point of contact.
Nolan stresses that The Sierra Team is unique in the sense that rather than being simply a search and rescue type squad, they take a different approach to assisting persons in need right at the scene:
The Sierra Team works very closely with the Federal Government as well as the Province and their float plane network as well as OPP and even Garrison Petawawa.
Nolan also lauded the mother of the child who sent out the initial distress call saying that her wherewithal during an intense situation is commendable to say the least:
While it’s clear that weather patterns will continue to evade pinpoint accuracy in many cases, Nolan acknowledges that he and his Team don’t operate in a vacuum and that everyone involved in the latest incident are to be commended:
For more information, contact The County of Renfrew Paramedic Services.
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(Written By: Richard Evans)