Halton Region Paramedic Services handles much of its ambulance maintenance through two in-house fleet centres. For specialized vehicle modifications requiring certification, however, it turns to the manufacturer’s expertise. When a change in mobile technology required new computer mounting pockets across 36 ambulances, the installation had to meet Ontario Ministry of Health requirements. Halton chose Demers Customer Care for the retrofit.
Our new Ontario service centre in Bolton, about 40 minutes from Halton, made that OEM expertise available locally. Halton could bring in vehicles as operational schedules allowed.
The project at a glance
- 36 ambulances retrofitted
- 1–5 vehicles brought in at a time
- Approximately one month to complete the fleet
“Anything involving certification is where we want the experts involved. Having that presence in the GTA is nothing but a positive for us.”
Working around an active ambulance fleet
Photo Credit: Halton Region Paramedic Services
Serving Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville, Halton Region Paramedic Services answers more than 60,000 calls annually. Coordinating planned work across several vehicles therefore requires careful scheduling.
Whenever possible, Halton schedules vehicle modifications when ambulances are already available or undergoing regular maintenance. Spare vehicles are also strategically positioned throughout the region to help maintain operations while work is being completed.
The retrofit project followed the same approach. Halton and Demers considered different implementation options before settling on a flexible process that allowed the fleet team to determine which vehicles could be released on a given day.
“We chose this approach because it minimized vehicle downtime and scheduling disruptions while giving us the flexibility to work around our operations.”
Lamey initially coordinated the project with Robin Giard, our Service and Customer Experience manager, before working directly with Chris Bishop, the Bolton Service Centre manager, to align schedules and installation dates so the team could prepare for each vehicle’s arrival.
“Chris and I went back and forth on a regular basis to make sure the project was seamless. We would let the team know we were coming, show up with the truck, and they were ready for us. About half an hour later, we could be driving back out. The team delivered exactly what they said they would deliver, and our expectations were exceeded.”
Sage sees that reliability as part of the service itself. For a paramedic service with only a small number of spare ambulances, he notes, an unexpected delay can have a significant impact on continuity of operations.
A change in mobile technology required new computer
mounting pockets across 36 ambulances. (Photo: Halton)
“It comes back to quality… not only quality workmanship, but quality customer service and delivering what you promised to deliver.”
Bringing Customer Care closer to Ontario fleets
The service centre in Bolton is a relatively new addition to our Customer Care support in Ontario, giving paramedic services in the region more direct access to OEM expertise.
Halton’s experience shows how local OEM expertise can complement in-house capabilities. Proximity and flexible scheduling enabled the fleet-wide retrofit without disrupting existing operations.
The experience also offers a useful takeaway for other paramedic fleet teams planning similar work. Lamey recommends building the project around a few fundamentals:
- Define the objective and desired outcome early.
- Work backward to identify the steps required to get there.
- Clarify roles and responsibilities across everyone involved.
- Align early on timelines, deliverables, and available resources.
For Ontario services still getting familiar with the facility, Customer Care in Bolton supports a broader range of needs, including preventive maintenance, repairs, commissioning and decommissioning, pre-delivery inspections (PDI), and specialized installations.
Photo credit: Halton Region Paramedic Services
Explore the services available through Customer Care in Bolton.
“If you haven’t been to the Bolton location or contacted the team, I’d encourage you to reach out and see what they can do,” he says. “If it’s closer and strategically located for your service, it’s a good place to get your work done.”
For Demers, the Halton project illustrates what Customer Care provides throughout an ambulance’s life: manufacturer expertise, support aligned with operational needs, and a team that follows through on its commitments.