Chatham-Kent (CK) Fire and Rescue is reporting that last year, local paramedics responded to a record number of calls.
An information report going to CK council on Monday evening shows that CK EMS responded to 17,322 calls for service in 2025, the highest annual call volume in the service's history.
Assistant Fire Chief Ken Labonte said the data reflects the ongoing growing demand for EMS across the municipality.
The report also shows that the Community Paramedicine Program achieved a 72 per cent reduction in 911 calls and a 68 per cent reduction in emergency department visits among enrolled clients, while Pathway2Care supported more than 900 individuals and contributed to a 77 per cent reduction in emergency department visits among participating clients.
"The 2025 EMS Annual Report highlights the significant role Chatham-Kent EMS continues to play in delivering emergency and community-based healthcare services across the municipality," said Labonte.
The information report also notes ongoing system challenges, including population growth, an aging demographic, increasing complex calls, hospital offload delays, and capacity pressures across the healthcare system.
CK EMS said it continues to work with municipal and healthcare partners on service planning initiatives, including the development of an EMS Master Plan to help ensure the service remains responsive to future community needs.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is responsible for providing land ambulance services operated by Medavie EMS Chatham-Kent.
