TEHKUMMAH – Tehkummah council passed a motion at its April 7 meeting to deem its First Response team an essential service both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Restrictions stemming from the mass lockdowns led to Tehkummah’s First Response crew being asked to only attend 9-1-1 emergency calls if there was a cardiac-related incident, but both the First Response crew and town council were concerned about the long paramedic response times in their relatively remote area of Manitoulin Island.
Councillor Michael McKenzie said the township should go beyond the essential service proclamation and speak with the body that recommended the restrictions about Tehkummah’s concerns.
Council voted unanimously to declare Tehkummah First Response an essential service to the township.
The First Response team is also taking over grocery and other needed supply deliveries to self-isolating individuals in the township.
