ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[ac3r]

Oh? Finally. I was wondering how long it would take people to understand the LRT = rapid transit and that it stops at every station.

[ac3r]

Cyclist airlifted by helicopter after being involved in a crash with the LRT: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/cycl...-1.5184552

[Acitta]

Cyclist airlifted by helicopter after being involved in a crash with the LRT: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/cycl...-1.5184552

A bit more info in the CBC article. "Officers were called to the area at 1 p.m. after the teen was riding his bicycle and attempted to cross King Street W. in front of a moving LRT vehicle, police said."

[jeffster]

Cyclist airlifted by helicopter after being involved in a crash with the LRT: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/cycl...-1.5184552

A bit more info in the CBC article. "Officers were called to the area at 1 p.m. after the teen was riding his bicycle and attempted to cross King Street W. in front of a moving LRT vehicle, police said."

From the CBC:

"The male was struck and knocked off his bicycle. He was airlifted to an out of region hospital with serious injuries," police said in a statement.

On topic on this accident, cyclists need to understand that, unlike cars, these trains can't stop as fast, nor are operators expecting cyclists running in front of them. D-damn!

What I am not understanding anymore (and really for a long time), why this area doesn't have a proper trauma centre. The kid literally got into an accident in front of GRH. Yet they don't have the facilities to help out, with a regional population in excess of 600,000, we still have to fly out to, technically, smaller cities.

[bgb_ca]

I just watched the ctv video. Looks like it happened in front of KCI. (Probably one of the students?)

I went to get on at Kitchener market around that time and noticed they were short turning there. I assumed at the time it was due to the rememberance day ceremony at the cenotaph. (If I remember last year, they powered down the lines around Fredrick for it)

[jamincan]

I'm not an expert on our healthcare system, but as far as I understand it, there are only a few main trauma centers in Ontario and the distribution is mainly based on geography. The Central South RTN that we're in is actually one of the smaller ones geographically. The ultimate question is whether patients are better served by having a tertiary trauma centre in Waterloo-Wellington area or a larger center in Hamilton. A local centre would likely see improved time to treatment, but it would likely not have the breadth of expertise that a larger, single trauma centre would have. As it stands right now, with Hamilton having one of the smallest referral bases in the province geographically, I'd lean toward the greater benefit being access to a larger centre.

[jeffster]

I'm not an expert on our healthcare system, but as far as I understand it, there are only a few main trauma centers in Ontario and the distribution is mainly based on geography. The Central South RTN that we're in is actually one of the smaller ones geographically. The ultimate question is whether patients are better served by having a tertiary trauma centre in Waterloo-Wellington area or a larger center in Hamilton. A local centre would likely see improved time to treatment, but it would likely not have the breadth of expertise that a larger, single trauma centre would have. As it stands right now, with Hamilton having one of the smallest referral bases in the province geographically, I'd lean toward the greater benefit being access to a larger centre.

I understand what you’re saying, but things have changed over the years, and this region, and surroundings, I think have surpassed critical mass in terms of population that a trauma centre should be built. Including student population, we’re about 650,000, the rest of the geography is probably close to 350,000 or more, that would be better served coming to this region than Hamilton (or London, which some places might go to).

An interesting fact, 15% of Ontario’s population doesn’t live close to a trauma centre yet make up 37% of trauma deaths.

Though I am no expert either. I have no idea the costs, nor requirements in terms of equipment and staffing. And perhaps Ornge picking people up and flying to Hamilton is just as good as using an ambulance to drive to a trauma centre in Kitchener.

[danbrotherston]

I'm not an expert on our healthcare system, but as far as I understand it, there are only a few main trauma centers in Ontario and the distribution is mainly based on geography. The Central South RTN that we're in is actually one of the smaller ones geographically. The ultimate question is whether patients are better served by having a tertiary trauma centre in Waterloo-Wellington area or a larger center in Hamilton. A local centre would likely see improved time to treatment, but it would likely not have the breadth of expertise that a larger, single trauma centre would have. As it stands right now, with Hamilton having one of the smallest referral bases in the province geographically, I'd lean toward the greater benefit being access to a larger centre.

I understand what you’re saying, but things have changed over the years, and this region, and surroundings, I think have surpassed critical mass in terms of population that a trauma centre should be built. Including student population, we’re about 650,000, the rest of the geography is probably close to 350,000 or more, that would be better served coming to this region than Hamilton (or London, which some places might go to).

An interesting fact, 15% of Ontario’s population doesn’t live close to a trauma centre yet make up 37% of trauma deaths.

Though I am no expert either. I have no idea the costs, nor requirements in terms of equipment and staffing. And perhaps Ornge picking people up and flying to Hamilton is just as good as using an ambulance to drive to a trauma centre in Kitchener.

This is a very interesting fact but it could be explained by other features. Trauma is almost always a car crash, and serious car crashes are more common in rural areas which don't have trauma centres. 

It would be good to also know the percentage of trauma patients that survive in Waterloo vs in say London.

[tomh009]

An interesting fact, 15% of Ontario’s population doesn’t live close to a trauma centre yet make up 37% of trauma deaths.

If there is no trauma centre nearby (not sure how they define "close") then serious trauma is more likely to result in death. That alone will explain some of the discrepancy between the 15% and 37% figures. More relevant would be to know how many of the trauma cases occur in those areas (and how they define "close") as this would be a better indicator of demand that the deaths (which are an end result).

[jamincan]

We would be the largest region in the province without a trauma centre. York Region and Brampton are other large regions that aren't directly served by a trauma centre, but they are closer to St. Michaels and Sunnybrook. On the other hand, they are far less well served by lower level trauma services.

[ac3r]

The LRT was awarded a national award: https://www.keolis.ca/fr/lexcellence-du-...u-canadien

[tomh009]

The LRT was awarded a national award: https://www.keolis.ca/fr/lexcellence-du-...u-canadien

Thanks! English version here:
https://www.keolis.ca/en/excellence-new-...onal-level

[ac3r]

Oops, didn't realize I had linked the French version! Mais...nous l'apprenons tous passionnément pendant de nombreuses années à l'école, no? :')

[trainspotter139]

Oops, didn't realize I had linked the French version! Mais...nous l'apprenons tous passionnément pendant de nombreuses années à l'école, no? :')

Unfortunately, not everyone takes french beyond grade 9.

[jeffster]

The LRT was awarded a national award: https://www.keolis.ca/fr/lexcellence-du-...u-canadien

Thanks! English version here:
https://www.keolis.ca/en/excellence-new-...onal-level

Still coming up in French only for me. Weird. I didn't realize the Keolis was a French company. Now I know.

I can read some French, not very good at it, though I got the gist.