In Ontario, Canada, on March 12th, 2021, the fire association (a trade union), through their lawyer, submitted a Notice of Libel against Send Paramedics and, specifically, Dr. Martin McNamara for fair comments and opinions shared by former admins of the Facebook page and some of its followers. The fire association was attempting to have various challenging opinions/comments recanted and now demanding the identity of those involved with Send Paramedics. The Notice of Libel is pinned to the top of Send Paramedics' Facebook page for your review (https://www.facebook.com/135144583244499/posts/3936796963079223/?d=n). This GoFundMe campaign is to help with their legal defence fund.
For decades, the fire associations have made great efforts to delve further into pre-hospital care despite all available evidence proving it is not in the interest of taxpayers and patients.
For about 6 years, Send Paramedics has been one of the only public voices directly challenging the fire associations’ attempts to change EMS system design to suit their needs. Those managing Send Paramedics knowingly put themselves at risk of being targeted by the fire associations in an effort to do what was right.
Send Paramedics are reportedly prepared to fight this to the end and would appreciate the support of their many followers within the healthcare community.
Now is the time to unite and push back against an organization that has historically treated Paramedics with disrespect and has used concerning strategies to silence dissenting voices rather than engage in legitimate debate.
Any funds raised that are unused after all legal matters are settled between the fire association and those involved with Send Paramedics will be donated to the Canadian Paramedic Memorial Foundation to assist with the creation of the National Fallen Paramedic Memorial and the Paramedic Benevolent Fund (https://www.paramedicmemorial.org/).
Who is Dr Martin McNamara CCFP/EM?
Martin (aka. Marty) has dedicated almost twenty-five years to the advancement of pre-hospital emergency care. He is an ED Physician in Ontario, Canada, but started in Ambulance and Emergency Care in 1977. He was the 68th Emergency Medical Care Attendant in Ontario (EMCA) and was among the first to be enrolled in the Province's air ambulance program.
As an EMCA, Marty devoted many off-duty hours mapping over 900 square miles of emergency routes for ambulances, fire trucks and the OPP, and launched a program equipping ambulances with teddy bears for injured children.
Determined to advance pre-hospital care, Martin pursued a degree in Medical Anthropology and Geography at York University (1992) and an MD from McMaster University Medical School (1995). He was one of three accepted into a pilot Emergency Medicine and Family Practice residency that combined his two passions: emergency care and the day-to-day care of individuals.
In addition to his ED position, Marty has worked part-time as a family physician and at a First Nations Reserve on Christian Island. Committed to cutting edge paramedic training he continues to teach and consult, he assisted in the development of national paramedic competency guidelines and an Advanced Paramedic Training program.
In recognition of his critical role in the advancement of Ontario's ambulance and emergency care and for his caring approach in the field of health, Marty was presented with the 1999 Premier's Awards for Health Sciences.
Who is Send Paramedics?
Send Paramedics is a group of passionate and knowledgeable medical professionals with an intimate understanding of pre-hospital care system design and performance. They advocate for emergency service efficiencies and support evidence-based approaches to pre-hospital care. Their core focus has been the fire services’ involvement in pre-hospital care with specific scrutiny and a challenging voice whenever objective evidence opposes a fire association proposal (i.e. Firemedics, FF/PCP proposals).
In solidarity