Residents across river from Dawson City, Yukon, stepping up to help neighbours when emergency services limited

Yukoners often rely on 911 in an emergency situation — but some residents in the West Dawson have formed their own informal network of emergency responders to help out when fire trucks and ambulances can't get to the area.

West Dawson sits across the Yukon River from the main townsite in Dawson City, Yukon, and is inaccessible by vehicle after the ferry stops running in the fall and before an ice-road crossing can be built. That means the only way across, for weeks or even months at a time, is by helicopter.  

"We've got a volunteer emergency-responder group," said West Dawson resident Jesse Cooke. "It's put together with people of all varying backgrounds."

Cooke, who is a member of the volunteer group, said there are former emergency medical service (EMS) responders, wilderness responders, and people with all levels of first-aid training who are all willing to help.

He said there is a list shared among West Dawson residents with the names, telephone numbers, email addresses, and skill sets of people who can be called upon for help when needed.

"From minor first aid emergencies, or even if you get a vehicle stuck." Cooke explained. "But mostly it's for medical help."

Cooke said the group has a "jump kit' which consists of a stretcher, a spinal board and basic first aid supplies. He said he also keeps an automated external defibrillator at his house.

Cooke said it's not a perfect solution for residents, but it's something that people can rely on when there's no way for an ambulance to get to the area, or when they're waiting for an EMS helicopter to arrive.

"At the end of the day, if something happens to somebody at two in the morning in the dark ... down some driveway that hasn't been plowed, and there's no [ice] bridge yet at that time, that person is going to be left at their own resources, or to the community to help," he said.

Always call 911, says EMS official

Ryan Soucy, deputy chief of technical operations with Yukon EMS, said he realizes the challenges residents on the west side of the river face during certain times of the year — but he said people should always call 911 in an emergency, and that EMS will always respond.

"We have primary care paramedics, and community responders in Dawson," Soucy said. "From there, they would respond with one of the local helicopter companies to go over to West Dawson."

A few of Dawson's helicopter companies have moved to Whitehorse for the season, or have reduced the number of available pilots, but Soucy said that shouldn't affect the level of service Yukon EMS provides. He says they're mandated to always have a helicopter available to respond to calls.

"We will get to you," Soucy said. "We will work with whatever resources and allied agencies to make sure that we get to the caller."

Cooke, however, believes that the level of emergency service could be better in West Dawson. He said just because people move to the west side of the river to live more rurally, it doesn't mean that the status quo needs to be maintained.

"There's no bridge ... there's an aging ferry that sometimes works, and then there's an ice bridge that sometimes gets built — so I think people probably know what they're getting into, that way," he said.

"It doesn't mean that things will always be the way they always have been. You can always speak up and try to improve life, right?"