An accident occurring near Neepawa is being blamed on employee fatigue.
Last Tuesday about 10 km east of Neepawa on Highway 16 an ambulance rolled into a ditch, RCMP have confirmed.
No patients were on board the emergency vehicle at the time of the accident while the two paramedics in the ambulance were reportedly wearing seatbelts and not hurt.
According to a release from the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union, the paramedic driving the ambulance fell asleep while driving after doing an all-night inter-facility transfer. The paramedics were on their way back to their home community of Swan River.
The release also claimed the paramedics had spent “several days and nights working with little sleep”.
According to comments from MGEU representatives, beginning Saturday the employees had either been on call or on shift for 60 hours, and then were back on shift by 6 or 7 p.m. Monday night.