Midhurst/April 4, 2025 – County of Simcoe Paramedic Services team members have been working around the clock to respond and serve the needs of our communities since the severe weather event last weekend.
Paramedic crews and ambulances from York and Halton Regions, and the City of Toronto have graciously offered to assist in urban areas of the region (primarily Barrie, Orillia and south Simcoe County) today and throughout the weekend. This additional support will provide immediate relief to County of Simcoe Paramedic Services (CSPS) and further support call demand to ensure the safety and well-being of residents across Simcoe County.
Patients and residents in these areas should be aware that these crews are sanctioned to support County of Simcoe Paramedics in this time of need.
The incredible paramedics and CSPS team members serving Simcoe County have been working significant overtime and upstaffing since last weekend to ensure the safety or our residents and maintain high levels of response throughout the County. Many of these paramedics have been working significant hours despite also suffering from the effects of the storm, returning to their own homes without power and/or experiencing personal property damage.
Given the anticipated prolonged power outages in some communities, which was confirmed mid-week by Hydro One, the County’s State of Emergency declaration further supports access to these and other response resources.
Through the ice storm response, paramedics have been providing stable call response, in addition to:
- Supporting through Community Paramedicine with home and wellness checks for some of our most vulnerable patients – prioritizing areas without power and communication.
- Staffing and visiting many of the Emergency Warming and Respite Centres to conduct wellness checks and onsite paramedicine support.
The County of Simcoe thanks our partners at York, Halton and Peel for their unwavering support, as well as our residents for their continued patience and words of encouragement.
Coldwater Paramedic Services base
With flooding currently reaching high levels in Coldwater, we have chosen to move County of Simcoe Paramedic Services crews to Craighurst until further notice. Our logistics team is currently moving damaged and/or moisture-sensitive items out of the base temporarily for storage and/or repairs. Crews remain available to respond quickly while supporting the community in case of emergencies.
About the State of Emergency in Simcoe County
Earlier this week, Warden Basil Clarke declared a State of Emergency as a result of the impacts of the recent ice storm affecting our region. Declaring an emergency assists the County and municipalities in accessing additional resources to support our residents and communities with the goal of assisting hydro in clearing critical transportation routes. The County also activated its Emergency Operations Centre to support enhanced flow of information with partners.
During this State of Emergency, the Emergency Authority is the County of Simcoe’s Emergency Management department.
For updates on this emergency follow these channels: County of Simcoe website at simcoe.ca, @simcoecounty on Twitter, @CountyofSimcoe on Facebook, in addition to local radio stations and media websites. Residents can also find information on social, health and government services at 211.
Regional supports and updates are being posted online at simcoe.ca/icestorm.
