Outdated GPS Maps in Ambulances Pose Danger to Community

The Peel Paramedic Union, OPSEU Local 277, is warning that your family members' lives may be endangered if Paramedics cannot find your location in time due to outdated maps on ambulance GPS units.

The Paramedic Union has repeatedly told management that the maps in the GPS units are unacceptably out of date. In March, Paramedic Managers were confronted with GPS units that had not been updated since 2010. Management indicated that maps were updated frequently and denied a systemic problem. Six months later, no updates have occurred and the majority of maps are out of date by more than two years.

With Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga growing so fast, entire subdivisions are invisible to older GPS units and that could mean delays to the lifesaving treatment provided by Paramedics.

"Paramedics are experts at providing complex prehospital medical care, but we can't provide that care if we don't know where the patient is," says Dave Wakely, President of OPSEU Local 277.

“Our Paramedics want to be able to find you as fast as possible. Seconds can make a difference, and no one should risk death because of a five-year-old map in the responding ambulance.”

For further information or comment please contact:
Dave Wakely, President, OPSEU Local 277
media@peelparamedics.com / 905-601-3208

• Peel Paramedics respond to approximately 500 emergency calls per day.
• Peel Paramedics respond to 100,000 emergency calls annually.
• 550 Paramedics are employed by Peel Paramedic Services.