Ambulance Department Expects to be Busy

The city of International Falls is preparing its ambulance department for an increase in patient transfers.

Officials with Rainy Lake Medical Centre say patients needing hospital care will be sent to hospitals elsewhere until it can get a handle on damages caused by Sunday's water line break.

Speaking to city councillors Monday night, Fire Chief Jerry Jensen says ambulance personnel are being readied.

"I think they're pretty dedicated and step up pretty solid as it is," says Jensen, "(but we've asking) to be a little more diligent in telling us when they're in service and out of service. Also to let them know that they might be bringing a patient to the hospital and they might be diverted as soon as they stabilize a patient to where every they're going."

City council also agreed to adjust the schedule of its paramedics to 12 hour shifts until the number of patient transfers decreases.